Cito Hopatcong Hills Nj, Advise/help

[+dobsonian]

We've placed 3 caches in the Hopatcong Hills section of NJ and a second cacher has placed a fourth. This area was designated as a Natural Preserve but is strewn with trash. When placing my first cache I was amazed by a pile right past the entrance and a boat load of propane tanks up on the ridge. When I came back to place the 3rd cache I found 2 wrecked cars out in the woods.

 

I'm interested in gettting this site cleaned up and figured a CITO event would be the right idea but I've never tried to arrange one of these before and am looking for advice. I know of at least a few cachers that have offered to get involved and one that can get local authorities and a cub scout group to help.

 

If you've arranged one of these events in the past please get back to me with some words of wisdom and if you're interested in getting involved in helping to clean this great spot up let me know that too.

 

Thanks,

 

AER aka dobsonian

Edited April 26, 2005 by dobsonian

[+MissJenn]

For some excellent generic advice, here are some CITO Event tips from '03 event organizers.

[+Straatmaker 5]

This is a gem of a park that needs a lot of help!

[avroair]

Hosting the event is actually easier than it seems.

 

* Talk to the local land manager (if there is one) and let them know what you plan to do.

* Set a date

* Submit a cache page (much like any other cache), with the parking coordinates, as the posted coordinates.

* Make sure you list the date, TIME and park where the CITO is being held

* Make sure you have enough: water, gloves, trash bags, and a couple of rakes

* providing snacks or coffee or both is optional

* Post a note in the forums that you are having a CITO event.

 

A couple of examples:

LIGO's CITO

 

Letchworth Park CITO

 

Sebago Beach CITO

 

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[+briansnat]

Talk to the local land manager (if there is one) and let them know what you plan to do.

 

Hopefully you can get them to supply a dumpster. If not, perhaps you can contact a local trash hauler and see if they'll donate one for the cause.

[+macatac1961]

You might get lucky when you contact the land manager. LIGO's CITO was held at Edgewood Preserve and JMBella contacted the people in charge of it and they were thrilled that we were planning a clean up. They provided a 20 yard dumpster and even showed up to help. That was my first stab at arranging a CITO and it was easier than I thought it would be because the event kind of takes on a life of it's own once it starts. The results were incredible. Good luck, I hope it goes as good for you as it did for us.

[+lakelady]

I don't know much about organizing these events but having done the Hopatcong hills caches and being local I would be happy to help out as long as I am not working.

Edited April 27, 2005 by lakelady

[+dobsonian]

Thanks to everyone who responded, let me try to hunt down the land manager and we'll set a date before it gets to warm out.

 

AER aka dobsonian