Club News: SJG Spotlighted in Cape May Co. Herald article
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During the SJG 3rd Birthday Bash in September, a columnist for the Cape May Co. Herald, Susan DeFeo, wandered over to learn about geocaching! The following is the article taken from the Cape May County Herald Cachers and Stashers By Susan Defeo Whether you are a sports enthusiast, environmentalist, computer geek or thrill seeker, geocaching has it all! I was cheering my daughter on at the Sept. 22 Big Five XC race at the Cape May County Zoo when I saw an interesting group of people picnicking at Pavilion 3. Being on the shy side, it took me a while to get up the nerve to approach them, but their banner “South Jersey Geocaching” piqued (thanks Roger) my interest. Promptly informed that the correct pronunciation of geocaching was not geo-ka-ching, but rather geo-cashing, members of the group were more than happy to share what they were about with clueless me. The club, known locally as SJG or “the Org,” let me know that geocaching is actually a sport, an adventure game for gps users, where individuals and organizations set up caches (or stashes) all over the world and share the locations on the internet. GPS users then use the coordinates given to find the cache, making sure to leave something at the site, called a waypoint, for the next guy. So what’s the big deal? You’re told where to go, and you go. Well, it’s one thing to know where a stash is, but a whole different story to get there. Location, location, location; they can be very inventive indeed. This is where the kayaking or hiking comes in. A rocky cliff, an underwater cave, a waypoint reached by snowshoes or wetsuit, caches may be located in rural areas or cities, above ground or below, in or out of buildings, or even up a tree. If nothing else, a logbook is stashed at the site. Of course, maps, books, software, hardware, CDs, videos, pictures, jewelry, tickets, antiques, tools, games, or best of all, money, is always welcome. Just make sure that they don’t get wet. One member described a coin called a “geocoin” that SJG and its sister organization from North Jersey have minted that artistically combines the two groups’ logos. Only 100 in shiny gold and another 150 in shiny silver have been coined, so cachers are keeping their eyes peeled for these coveted treasures. Sounds like fun! Members socialize, get exercise, and as one SJGer said, “The important thing is to pick a funny name for yourself.” It’s not all play, however. South Jersey geocachers are civic minded, too. As administrative coordinator Linda Scully (otherwise known as Mother Hen) told me, “Geocaching is hiking with a purpose.” Members pick up litter while caching and participate in events such as Toys for Tots, food drives, Toys for Tykes in Cape May County and trail maintenance. Coordinator Chris “Ski” Selinski added, “We work for state parks and are currently collecting needed items for the zoo.” Indeed, as “the Org” celebrated their third birthday, enjoying the food and each others’ company at the zoo, a kiddie pool with paper towels, blankets, trash bags and dish soap was filling to the brim, soon to be donated to the facility. As one member stated, “We feel that all cachers have a duty to promote this sport and make a positive impact on it for other cachers as well as the community.” If you would like more information about South Jersey Geocaching, log on to SJGeocaching.org to learn about the fun, frustration, and fruitful endeavors that the sport has to offer. |
SJG Spotlighted in Cape May Co. Herald article © copyright 2013 http://sjgeocaching.org/SJG