aka carleenp
This month:
Geo-Scouting
Geocaching is an activity that fits well with scouting and other similar programs. The Boy Scouts of America have historically embodied related activities such as orienteering, and it is no surprise that increasing numbers of scout troops are including caching in their agendas. Some groups have even hidden their own caches. As a result, the term "geo-scouting" has arisen.
There are many examples incorporating scouting with caching activities. Keith Kaiser a Unit Commissioner, recently wrote an article for a scouting journal explaining geocaching activities at a Boy Scout camporee. Geocaching replaced orienteering activities at the event that year.
Patrol leaders were given pre-programmed GPS receivers and instructions to find a cache. Each cache contained a logbook and banner for the patrol to display. Members of the patrol who found the cache each received wooden nickels designed for the event.
Venture Crew 495, who placed caches at the site and pre-programmed the GPS receivers (loaned by Garmin) organized the event. The caches were placed to minimize environmental impact and were set up in a manner that avoided heavy traffic at any given site. Information about the camporee and photographs may be viewed at: www.kaiserklan.com/roundtable/.
April marks the month of Cash In Trash Out (CITO) day and it is appropriate to note that scouts also participate in CITO activities. In one instance, a Tiger Cub, currently in first grade, was required to go on a hike as part of the activities. His mother, Janet Allen, decided to include caching with the hike and planned a route that would take the kids on an easy walk. They hid a new cache along the way, which they stocked with a supply of CITO bags. During the hike the boys also picked up trash.
Describing the hike, Allen stated, “For a winter day it was bright and sunny. The weather was perfect for caching."...the boys were falling over themselves trying to be the one to pick up the most trash.” We picked up a little (trash) on the way to the cache but the boys were intent on finding the treasure. The trail was a loop, so after finishing the cache we continued on the loop.”
“This took us near a big regional Aquatic center and quite a bit more trash than we saw on the way in. It didn't take much encouragement at all,” he added, “and the boys were falling over themselves trying to be the one to pick up the most trash.”
According to Allen, “We pretty much filled the one bag up on the quarter mile walk back to the cars from the cache. The boys were all very proud of the job they had done.”
When asked why they participated in a CITO, One of the boys explained: "it's good for the country and it's good to help geocaching, and it's good for the environment." Stating that he felt good about picking up trash he explained: "Even though I'm only seven I can do something good for the environment."
This month the kid’s section of Today's Cacher looks at the geo-scouting activities of a Boy Scout troop. Scouting troops and similar organizations are encouraged to add geocaching to their educational activities and to actively teach concepts related to CITO.