The New York Geocaching Organization

"Trackers"

"Trackers" will be a story of geocaching and other topics the series will be starting Wednesday, February 20th on Channel 7 news in Watertown, N.Y. News Anchor Caroline Tucker did the story. I and Howard's Heroes" helped her with the story. Check it out.

SEUSA Geocaching

The Soaring Eagles United States Geocachers Association (SEUSA) is a geocaching group for kids ages ten through eighteen. Our mission: to educate all people about geocaching and to get America’s youth involved. Started and run all by kids including EagleO-10 (age 13) and StillwaterGeoff (age 14), we go on monthly cache hunts and hikes and have monthly meetings. We also hold annual travel bug races and are currently planning a campout to Mount Marcy, New York’s highest peak, for the fall. We are based out of Stillwater, New York.

We have a website at www.seusa-geocaching.org that includes many links, downloads, polls, a forum and more. The website and all its contents are open to all geocachers. We encourage everyone to check it out. If you’re a “kid-cacher” like us, you’ll enjoy being in the company of others your age and talking about what we all have in common: a love for geocaching! You can even pursue becoming a SEUSA “Full Member” and really becoming a part of the group.

That is why the group was thought of by EagleO-10 in the summer of 2006. After experiencing his first caches just weeks before and on the way home from a trip to Rhode Island after bagging multiple caches, EagleO-10 though it would be a lot of fun to get his friends involved and maybe go caching as a group one in a while. From there, it snowballed, picking up more local members and going caching monthly. Now, we are trying to expand our organization across the country.

We are not here to take you away from your other groups (especially this one). We actually provide a list of links on our website and encourage our members to check them out. We offer a place for kids who enjoy geocaching to be around others like them. We also push extremely hard for safety. Any inappropriate or offensive action by other members or content is prohibited, will be stopped immediately and will be prevented from happening again. So check out our website, we think you’ll enjoy it. Especially if you’re like us! Thanks!

-The SEUSA Directors Team

2008 NYGO Picnic Proposal

Requests for Proposals: 2008 NYGO Picnic

Now is the chance for your local club to bring the NYGO Annual Picnic/Meeting to your area.

Local clubs are being invited to submit proposals to host the 2008 NYGO picnic/annual meeting in their area. Why? It will give you the opportunity to sponsor a statewide event and earn money for your club.

Local club(s) hosting the picnic will have the assistance of an experienced event planner/liaison to help you with the planning and hosting.

NYGO will provide up to $200.00 to rent the pavilions/grounds and pay for fees/permits involved with hosting the picnic. (Do not rent the pavilion until you are selected).

Your location must have enough space to host this event (plan 100+) and the evening meeting. Reasonable cost/quantity of camping/lodging must be available nearby.

The local club will have their name with NYGO Annual Picnic in the event write up and provide event caches and activities.

The local club will arrange and run the raffle splitting the proceeds 20% to NYGO and 80% to the hosting club. NYGO will donate a minimum of 5 raffle items including but not limited to NYGO merchandise.

NYGO reserves the right for space near the registration table to sell NYGO and/or Groundspeak merchandise.

Interested clubs should write up a proposal with location and pertinent information and submit to NYGO vice-president for review (brownbout@yahoo.com) and board approval by January 1, 2008.

Have fun with this idea and make it a state wide event to remember!

New NYGO Board of Directors

Motions were made and passed on October 4, 2007 to nominations of the following board of directors:

President: Sue (TheLyndonRoadGang) and Jim (Brogan) accepted the role of Co-Presidency for a term of two years, up in October 2009.

Vice President: Barb's (Brownout) role as Vice President will continue until October 2008.

Treasurer: Bob (Mrmom) and Sue (MsBusymom) accepted the role of Co-Treasurer for a term of two years, up in October 2009.

Secretary: Michele (Evilones) accepted the role of Secretary for a term of two years, up in October 2009.

Congratulations to our newly elected Board of Directors!

A Tribute to a Bee, a Rock, and a Caveman Event Cache (GC14ZVA)

September 22nd, 2007 - Osage Farms - Mt. Morris New York

It never ceases to amaze me the wonderful spirit that exists in the hearts of so many geocachers…just when you fear this sport/game/past-time has lost its way along the trail…you are wholesomely reminded that there is so much still there worth doing, experiencing and enjoying. I think it was 7:30am-ish on Saturday…on another spectacular trail in Osage Farms…with the sun peaking through the spruce and white pine…that I realized that there are so many cachers near and dear to my heart, and they are all descending here to honor three gentleman who have helped us not only find ourselves here enjoying one another’s company upon these majestic grounds, but who faithfully and truthfully embody every principle geocaching was founded upon.

I have met each one of these fine individuals – be it personally or through their caches – but so much of what makes a cache distinct is the character and personality of the person who placed it there. And through their hides, their logs and their finds they have spread this contagious spirit to so many of us who wander blindly into the woods in search of so much more then a tiny box with shiny items. The purest gift they have shared with us all is the sensation of being a small blip of existence in a world so full of natural beauty, mystery and breathtaking wonder.

Rocky, KillerB and Paleoman52…this event was so much more then an acknowledgment of 500 finds…but more precisely a celebration of what you have given to our community…all while asking from us nothing more then a nice cache log with a few kind words recounting our grand adventures. Oh and what grand adventures are and always have been. It is an honor and a pleasure to find your hides, sign your cache logs and most importantly recommend your caches to friends and even complete strangers I meet along my way. It would be an injustice to rob the peace and serenity of nature – the flourishing history of our area – or the fascinating world around us from those who only seek to find what we all look for while in the forest….

Happiness.

Thank you for your thoughts, your efforts and your ability to teach, amaze and ultimately impress each and every time one of your caches sends me on down the wooded trail.

Congratulations to each of you on all of your achievements!

Geo at the State Fair

Just to let everyone know... The 4-H Geospatial Technology Team has a booth at the NYS fair. The booth is located in the 4-H Youth Building, and features Maps evaluated by National Geographic, Google Earth Demonstrations, Stereoscope maps, and more. If you're headed to the fair this week, stop by to check it out!

I will be working the booth on Thursday and Friday during the days. Hope to see you there!

Boots...

Girl Scout Junior and Brownie badge

I would like to let people know that the Council of Central New York has a junior badge and a brownie try-it for girl scouts. Three of my troop girls has created these badge and try-it in 2004 for their bronze award and it is available at this council for purchasing. You can email them at girlscouts@gsccny.org or phone them at 315-698-9400. The name of the badge and try-it is called Let's Go GEO
for requirements click on the link to the left side on this website under Girl Scouts

8 CITO's for 2007

There are now 6 CITO's for the 2007 all in the month of April and 2 in May. So, lets get out and make New York State Pretty!!!

See the link below to see where all the CITO's are:

Click here for the map.

CITO Safety

This post is a little different than my normal electrical safety rant but you'll still enjoy it...

Are you ready to help out this year in a Geocaching CITO (Cache In Trash Out)? Good job! Here's some information I want to share with you before you go out grabbing for garbage to clean up a special area.

Keep your eyes open for used needles.

HIV, Hepatitis B and C are diseases that are carried in the blood. These diseases aren't spread through everyday contact. If needles are shared, individuals are exposed to the blood of another person. If a person is infected with hepatitis B or C or HIV, there's a risk of the disease being spread.

Accidentally being pricked by a used needle may spread a disease to the individual.

Occasionally, needles are found in places where children play such as parks and school yards. When this happens, it's important that the needle is safely collected and disposed of by an adult.

In last years Edmonton CITO we found a needle in the city park. Luckily we had a pre-CITO speech for kids on used needle safety.

Teach children these simple rules:

If you find a needle don't touch it!
Tell an adult where you found the needle.
If you are hurt by a needle, tell an adult. You will need to see a doctor right away.

What is the correct way to collect and dispose of a used needle?

FOR ADULTS, Pick the needle up carefully, don't touch it with your bare hands. If you have gloves, wear them, or use a heavy cloth. If tongs are available, use them to pick up the needle.

Hold the needle tip away from you. Be careful not to prick yourself.

Place the needle with the tip downward in a can or plastic container with a lid. Seal securely.

Call or bring the container to the health unit. Or, take the container to the police, hospital, emergency department, or a hazardous waste disposal site near you.

Always look to see what you're grabbing at and use a good pair of work gloves.

Making a CITO "pokey" stick to pick up garbage is safer yet. Safe against needles, glass and easy on your lower back.

It's easy to build a CITO "pokey" stick.

Find an old wooden broom stick, a couple hose clamps and a long nail. Once you attach the nail to the wooden broom stick with the hose clamps you may want reinforce with duct tape.
Please teach children how to use these sticks safely. (not swinging them around and always keeping the point down)

You may be bending down occasionally around sharp tree branches, etc and handling a garbage pick-up pokey stick so you may want to wear a pair of safety glasses.

Will you be cleaning up near a roadway?

You may want to consider getting some reflective safety vests.

The more visible you are, the safer you are.

It's a good idea to wear a pair of boots with ankle support.

Don't forget to bring a bottle of water to keep hydrated.

Enjoy your CITO and please keep safe,

Johnnygeo

(Ref. www.norwestchc.org needle safety)

Job Opportunities at the NY-NJ Trail Conference

The NY-NJ Trail Conference have several paid employment opportunities available including Project Manager - Trail University at Bear Mountain, NY, Administrative Assistant and Development Assistant

Further details can be found here:
Employment Opportunities

Plus they have internship opportunities and are always looking for volunteers.