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Scouting and Geocaching . . . a game with a purpose
The premise of the game is simple: players hide and seek containers—called “caches” or “geocaches”—outdoors using GPS navigation devices. Then, they go online to Geocaching.com to report what they’ve found and give clues to others that might want to seek what they just hid.
Geocaching can be much more than a fun unit activity. As part of our 100th Anniversary Celebration, we’re using geocaching to get at a goal that’s important to every Scouter: membership recruitment and retention. Through the “Get in the Game” program, Scouts and non-Scouts alike will be invited to join the adventure. In addition to inviting them to participate in events, we’ll also reach out to kids that are actively involved with geocaching, but not Scouting.
On top of being an exciting way to introduce new youth to Scouting, “Get in the Game” activities teach valuable lessons that parents will appreciate. Lessons like leadership, problem solving, cooperation, and teamwork.
Get in the Game Activities
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Pillars of Scouting- Celebrating Scouting Values
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Through Pillars of Scouting, we have a fun way to spread the word about Scouting — and the values it teaches to youth — to Scouts and geocachers across America. Through Travel Bugs® and trackable items like coins, the message of our 100th Anniversary Celebration will travel the nation. The descriptions of these items on Geocaching.com will celebrate Scouting’s legacy and reaffirm our commitment to inspire and prepare the next generation by teaching Leadership, Service, Achievement, Character, and the need to protect the Outdoors.
The Get in the Game! team created five custom Travel Bugs — one for each pillar — for each council. They will each have unique identification numbers that can be tracked on Geocaching.com. Players will pick up the item from one cache, move it to another, and log the movement online. Trackable items move tens of thousands of miles and pass through hundred of hands.
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Cache to Eagle®
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Cache to Eagle is a partnership between Geoscouting, the BSA, and Geocaching.com to highlight Eagle projects across the nation. Through the program, participants set up normal public caches at Eagle project sites that also happen to be good cache spots. Dozens of public caches that showcase these remarkable sites are already posted, and the initial response has been fantastic. Hundreds of people visit the Eagle Scout projects, and many of them write public notes on the logs at Geocaching.com.
Getting to see the pinnacle of Scouting achievement, in a fun way, is highly meaningful for young Scouts. This program can also provide a tremendous source of pride for Scouters and Scouting alumni, and it helps to build goodwill with the public. It’s free. It’s easy. And, it’s a true ?win-win for both the Scouting and geocaching communities
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Treasures of Scouting
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The true treasures of Scouting are the values that we teach our youth, helping them grow with character and integrity. Through the Treasures of Scouting series of public caches, we’ll highlight Scouting values while getting Scouts and non-Scouts alike excited about the programs we offer.
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Race to 2010
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Pinewood Derby cars representing every council will race across America using geocaching. The cars will be Travel Bugs®, moving from cache to cache across America. Scouts and Scouters can track their car’s progress, read posted comments, and log the miles it travels on Geocaching.com. The finish line? Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree! All of the Pinewood Derby cars that arrive at the Jamboree will be displayed in a special geocaching area in ?Technology Quest.? Prizes will be awarded for the Pinewood Derby cars that travel the farthest, pass through the most hands, or have the most creative routes. But if your car doesn’t make it to the Jamboree, don’t worry. You’re still eligible. Geocaching.com will log how many miles each car travels. So, we’ll know if it went the distance — even if that distance doesn’t lead it to Virginia. After the Jamboree, we’ll release the cars again to continue their race … around the world. |
If you would like to help place these Geocaches or particiapte in the Get in the Game Committee contact Charles Huse, 412-325-7950 or clhuse@bsamail.org
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