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Need input on idea


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I've had an idea that I would like to try as a new cache, and I would like to get some feed back.

My idea is to do a limited time cache from early November to mid December for cachers to leave new, unopened toys to be donated to a local charity in time for Christmas. I'm thinking that I could hide a large water-resistant box in a field just next to my house so I could frequently remove the gifts to keep them from being plundered. I'm also thinking of stocking it with some type of souvenier so they have something to take, but I haven't thought of what yet.

Do ya'll think that this would work? Also, I would like to turn this into a normal (maybe an end-point for a multi) cache after Christmas. Do I archive the original and start it as a new one, or edit the existing?

 

TIA,

Shannon

VegasCacheHounds

 

VegasCacheHounds

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Great idea! Toys for kids is a Good Thing. You might also consider photocopying some information to put in the cache, regarding other local holiday toy and food drives. icon_biggrin.gif

 

If you turn it into a multicache later, I'd archive the original and post the multi as a new cache - unless you're concerned about people just going directly back to the location rather than going through the multi-waypoints... more personal preference than anything, I think.

 

snazzsig.jpg

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Great idea! Toys for kids is a Good Thing. You might also consider photocopying some information to put in the cache, regarding other local holiday toy and food drives. icon_biggrin.gif

 

If you turn it into a multicache later, I'd archive the original and post the multi as a new cache - unless you're concerned about people just going directly back to the location rather than going through the multi-waypoints... more personal preference than anything, I think.

 

snazzsig.jpg

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quote:
Originally posted by VegasCacheHounds:

 

My idea is to do a limited time cache from early November to mid December for cachers to leave new, unopened toys to be donated to a local charity in time for Christmas.


 

This is a great idea! I wonder if we should generalize this idea to the rest of the country?

 

By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I.

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Sounds somewhat similar to the cache that was taking change donations, to be given to some charity each time the cache owner did maintenance. I forget the exact cache - but I do remember that people were getting pretty concerned with the idea of trusting someone to actually be giving the donated money to a real charity. The same issue might be brought up with your cache, if you do it.

 

I'll see if I can find the thread that I'm referring to...

 

Ah yes... here it is.

 

Not only might some people have trust issues, but that cache would be a high-profile target for those that wanted to get some nice new toys quickly, and for free. I'm sure you'd do your best to watch it and retrieve the toys - but sometimes that doesn't even help. Cache thefts around central Ohio are enough that I wouldn't consider doing that here. Hell, someone stole a cache that only had some little plastic monsters in it - you know that the "good stuff" wouldn't last long. No good deed goes unpunished. icon_smile.gif

 

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Click the Toe...  and please stop confusing your opinion with fact, ok?
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Sounds somewhat similar to the cache that was taking change donations, to be given to some charity each time the cache owner did maintenance. I forget the exact cache - but I do remember that people were getting pretty concerned with the idea of trusting someone to actually be giving the donated money to a real charity. The same issue might be brought up with your cache, if you do it.

 

I'll see if I can find the thread that I'm referring to...

 

Ah yes... here it is.

 

Not only might some people have trust issues, but that cache would be a high-profile target for those that wanted to get some nice new toys quickly, and for free. I'm sure you'd do your best to watch it and retrieve the toys - but sometimes that doesn't even help. Cache thefts around central Ohio are enough that I wouldn't consider doing that here. Hell, someone stole a cache that only had some little plastic monsters in it - you know that the "good stuff" wouldn't last long. No good deed goes unpunished. icon_smile.gif

 

toe.gif

Click the Toe...  and please stop confusing your opinion with fact, ok?
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Why end it in December?

 

If you have a local Children's hospital, see if they take donations throughout the year. I think I've heard about some that will give kids toys on their birthdays, etc. Some charities might accept toy donations throughout the year.

 

As the local food pantries like to remind us, the need doesn't go away after the holidays.

 

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish..

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The coordinates for the cache BEING the actual place that needs the toys? You could coordinate with someone at a Children's Hospital or something and give that person's name as the contact to give the toy to.

 

Then you post a find, and everyone's happy. You'd have to post a "time" that was appropriate of course, whatever this contact person thinks is good.

 

In a big city, I'm sure this would bring in LOTS of toys.

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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:

...but I do remember that people were getting pretty concerned with the idea of trusting someone to actually be giving the donated money to a real charity. The same issue might be brought up with your cache, if you do it.

 

...that cache would be a high-profile target for those that wanted to get some nice new toys quickly, and for free. I'm sure you'd do your best to watch it and retrieve the toys - but sometimes that doesn't even help. ]

 

I hadn't thought about people being concerned that I wouldn't really donate the items. Maybe I should post on the cache page that I have no kids, so the toys wouldn't be of any interest other that to donate (of course, they might notice on my bio that I collect toys, but thats only Star Wars and Legos icon_wink.gif).

 

As far as someone gaffing the toys, I've already considered that, and have decided to place the cache so close to my house that I could check it quite often, and remove any gifts as soon as possible after they are left.

 

I've also thought about chaining a cheap FRS in the cache with a note to give a try and see if I'm home....might be a fun way to meet some of the caching community.

 

Oh, and as far as the idea to leave this cache up all year..... I hadn't thought about that....I might just do that.

 

Thanks for the input,

Shannon

 

VegasCacheHounds

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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:

...but I do remember that people were getting pretty concerned with the idea of trusting someone to actually be giving the donated money to a real charity. The same issue might be brought up with your cache, if you do it.

 

...that cache would be a high-profile target for those that wanted to get some nice new toys quickly, and for free. I'm sure you'd do your best to watch it and retrieve the toys - but sometimes that doesn't even help. ]

 

I hadn't thought about people being concerned that I wouldn't really donate the items. Maybe I should post on the cache page that I have no kids, so the toys wouldn't be of any interest other that to donate (of course, they might notice on my bio that I collect toys, but thats only Star Wars and Legos icon_wink.gif).

 

As far as someone gaffing the toys, I've already considered that, and have decided to place the cache so close to my house that I could check it quite often, and remove any gifts as soon as possible after they are left.

 

I've also thought about chaining a cheap FRS in the cache with a note to give a try and see if I'm home....might be a fun way to meet some of the caching community.

 

Oh, and as far as the idea to leave this cache up all year..... I hadn't thought about that....I might just do that.

 

Thanks for the input,

Shannon

 

VegasCacheHounds

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quote:
Originally posted by ZachNLiam:

The coordinates for the cache BEING the actual place that needs the toys?


Or, better yet, make it a multi-cache, with the first coords being the charity location. The second set of coords would be INSIDE the office of the charity, possibly written on the receipt given for a donation.

 

Question: Would this be considered a "commercial cache?"

 

25021_1200.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Jamie Z:

I guess I'm in the minority on this one, since I don't really care for the idea. Donating toys is great... but a good cache it does not make.

 

Here's a related thread with comments from Jeremy, among others.

 

Jamie


 

Jamie,

I value your input, but I don't think there quite enough of it there for me to get your point icon_biggrin.gif

 

So far, the only two issues that I see from the responses here as well as in the other thread referenced ar as follows:

 

1) Cachers have no proof that I will really donated the items.

 

2) that the donations will be plundered and not get to their intended home.

 

My point of view on both:

 

1) If a cacher feels that they cannot trust a stranger (not that I could blame them) they can still hunt this cache and treat it as a normal "log only" cache, or even trade for the souvenier.

 

2) I will remove all of the donations as soon as possible to limit that from happening. Perhaps I will leave an updated list as to what has been left, though.

 

If you remove the donating part, is this any different from a normal 1/1 cache? If someone doesn't what to leave something, they don't have to.

 

If you have any other ideas of potential problems, I would likre to hear them, thats why I asked.

 

Thanks,

Shannon

 

VegasCacheHounds

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quote:
Originally posted by Jamie Z:

I guess I'm in the minority on this one, since I don't really care for the idea. Donating toys is great... but a good cache it does not make.

 

Here's a related thread with comments from Jeremy, among others.

 

Jamie


 

Jamie,

I value your input, but I don't think there quite enough of it there for me to get your point icon_biggrin.gif

 

So far, the only two issues that I see from the responses here as well as in the other thread referenced ar as follows:

 

1) Cachers have no proof that I will really donated the items.

 

2) that the donations will be plundered and not get to their intended home.

 

My point of view on both:

 

1) If a cacher feels that they cannot trust a stranger (not that I could blame them) they can still hunt this cache and treat it as a normal "log only" cache, or even trade for the souvenier.

 

2) I will remove all of the donations as soon as possible to limit that from happening. Perhaps I will leave an updated list as to what has been left, though.

 

If you remove the donating part, is this any different from a normal 1/1 cache? If someone doesn't what to leave something, they don't have to.

 

If you have any other ideas of potential problems, I would likre to hear them, thats why I asked.

 

Thanks,

Shannon

 

VegasCacheHounds

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quote:
Originally posted by Web-ling:

quote:
Originally posted by ZachNLiam:

The coordinates for the cache BEING the actual place that needs the toys?


Or, better yet, make it a multi-cache, with the first coords being the charity location. The second set of coords would be INSIDE the office of the charity, possibly written on the receipt given for a donation.

 

Question: Would this be considered a "commercial cache?"

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/25021_1200.gif


 

These ideas do solve the few problems with this cache idea, but it basically becomes a virtual then. Its not that I hate virtuals, but I would prefer to put something for cachers to find.

 

I don't know if it would be considered commercial as it would benifit a non-profit org.

 

Shannon

 

VegasCacheHounds

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quote:
quote:
Originally posted by ZachNLiam:

The coordinates for the cache BEING the actual place that needs the toys?


Or, better yet, make it a multi-cache, with the first coords being the charity location. The second set of coords would be INSIDE the office of the charity, possibly written on the receipt given for a donation.

 

Question: Would this be considered a "commercial cache?"

 


I work at a hospital with a Cooperative Care Unit and a hotel service for patients from out of town. I wonder if I set up a box with cache signature items and set things up with the check in desk for this part of the hospital (where the pedi oncology and transplant patients are anyways...), could I give the coordinates and elevation for the check in desk and have them receive toys and give out the signature items/receipts?

 

How about a ruling?

 

By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I.

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quote:
Originally posted by VegasCacheHounds:

I value your input, but I don't think there quite enough of it there for me to get your point


I reread that thread, and I see that it isn't quite the same... I guess what I'm getting at (and as stated in one post in that thread) is that donations of time, money, or toys is a good thing, but it's not a geocache. I like Geospotter's idea to make it an event. Maybe everyone could get together, load all the goods up in someone's vehicle and haul 'em down to the appropriate place and donate them in care of Geocaching dot com.

 

Maybe if this cache is a big hit.. I'll put out the "Jamie's College Fund" cache. icon_razz.gif

 

What I'm getting at is that you've got good intentions, I just don't think a geocache is an appropriate charity receptacle, physically or by definition.

 

Jamie

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quote:
Originally posted by VegasCacheHounds:

I value your input, but I don't think there quite enough of it there for me to get your point


I reread that thread, and I see that it isn't quite the same... I guess what I'm getting at (and as stated in one post in that thread) is that donations of time, money, or toys is a good thing, but it's not a geocache. I like Geospotter's idea to make it an event. Maybe everyone could get together, load all the goods up in someone's vehicle and haul 'em down to the appropriate place and donate them in care of Geocaching dot com.

 

Maybe if this cache is a big hit.. I'll put out the "Jamie's College Fund" cache. icon_razz.gif

 

What I'm getting at is that you've got good intentions, I just don't think a geocache is an appropriate charity receptacle, physically or by definition.

 

Jamie

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quote:
Originally posted by Jamie Z:

What I'm getting at is that you've got good intentions, I just don't think a geocache is an appropriate charity receptacle, physically or by definition.

Jamie


 

and...and...and..... There are far to many charity's out there to take the risk that this would be seen as another revenue stream. Even my kids PTA is hitting us up for ideas on how to raise funds.

 

I like your heart, but am afraid of what these might start. Anyone who's ever donated to charity knows that they never let go of a revenue source once found.

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