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View Poll Results: Should we have a Geocaching Maine Organization? (rules in first post for responding)

Voters
61. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes

    21 34.43%
  • No

    30 49.18%
  • I don't care

    10 16.39%
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Thread: Should we form a Geocaching Maine Organization?

  1. #61
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Unity, Maine
    Posts
    3,874

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    This has been (and is) an interesting "debate" with many good points on the various sides of this issue. I still stand by my own personal opinion on this issue, but I believe there have been some excellent points made by folks representing many different beliefs.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  2. #62
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    temp
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    666

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beach Comber
    Thank you Rick for putting the poll out and asking for opinions. I like that there is opportunity for anyone interested to put in their two cents and indicate their preference.

    I have been thinking about my preference for this and have also been reading what others have shared. There are a number of good points here and a variety of ways that this could go.

    I have enjoyed the informality of this community and have no strong need for the organization to be different or more formal. It seems that a number of the issues that have been raised are already addressed in the existing structure..........

    Land Trust contacts - A number of people have stepped up to the plate and made connections

    Media - A number of people have written articles, others interviewed, some have given presentations

    Resource - Fellow cachers are available for questions via the website, have acted as mentors when asked, etc.

    Funding - When $ have been needed, individuals have contributed at an event or through the donation button

    Political - If issues arise, it seems that they are brought to the website. If we all keep ours ears and eyes open and share what we learn, we would have very broad coverage without relying on a small number of people being responsible. If something is identified as needing attention, we could make an impromptu plan at that time.

    My preference is to leave things as they are, but I will certainly respect whatever path this takes.

    While I agree on many of your points there are a couple I would like to discuss and one issue, and you brought it up, is a "number of people" handling different aspects. These folks are not representing GeocachingMaine.org, they are representing themselves and that is not meant mean spiritedly. I commend them and thank them but when they leave GeocachingMaine.org (if they leave and hopefully they don't) they take that relationship with them, no matter what their intent. Don't misinterpret my thoughts, "many" individuals can still do tghe different aspects but they would be endorsed by GeocachingMaine.Org or Association or Club. It would be hard to say that you represent folks at an open forum. There are no clearly defined .....anything. Looking at this from a "Muggles" point of view, we are just a "Gossip Site" and I know we are so much more. You don't have to convince me what this site has to offer, we have to convince the non-geocaching community what we have to offer and what we are about. And as far as forming an impromptu political action group it would be way to late by the time we recognized a need. If the MGA does get on the books as an"official organization" they will be part of a public listing of "Official Organizations" and by default will be the ones asked questions by the general public and lawmakers. If we start an impromptu organization we would have to fight just to validate ourselves and that would take away from our political effectiveness. I know there is alot of commitment here, once again, it's not me you have to convince its the non-geocaching community.

    Lastly, just because we are an organization doesn't mean we will be ruled by a small group or it will became that persons website. By forming an "official" organization doesn't empower an individual or a small group of people to do as they please rather it should give us one respected and credible voice to speak with. The strength of any organization is by member participation and the diverse views that are presented and hashed out , hopefully, form one great idea. What makes these forums so great right now are the members and what they bring to this site. We are all free to voice our opinions here, why would organizing take that away? We can still debate issues and present ideas and have chat night and have events and put the geocachingmaine.org logo on our caches and so on.

    How we chose to interact and get our message out to the public and non-members of this site is what I would like to see addressed. I would like to see us have some credibility as an organization in the public eye and not be regarded as a "Gossip Site."

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    6,343

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    Quote Originally Posted by parmachenee
    I agree with you Dave...but we have over 700 users of this website and a vote of 32 users is hardly indicative of the overall feeling of everyone here. I don't know how many are from Maine, but it still is far from a majority decision. I would like to see more input from other users than the 20 or so who have posted their feelings. Also, the "goals" should include some kind of mission statement indicating what we are "all about." IMHO
    I have mentioned this to Rick allready, and think we should find a method of contacting all interested members when a vote or discussion of this matter comes up.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    3,968

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    Quote Originally Posted by brdad
    I have mentioned this to Rick allready, and think we should find a method of contacting all interested members when a vote or discussion of this matter comes up.
    see... if we had geocaching representatives they could contact all of those geocachers and get their opinion on this.
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Gainesville, Georgia
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    3,893

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    I just think we need to act and act now or we are going to be just that "the gossip site". We need to stand and be counted as the GeocachingMaine organization that everybody looks up to. I dont think this site will stand a chance against a formally organized body if there are any challenges or concerns that are brought up by the media,land trust,forest concerns or any private or public land baron when it comes to presenting the facts concerning geocaching. It will take more than a few individuals to change their minds when we are just a so-called gossip site. But that is just my opinion.
    Just smile it won't crack your face

    The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
    suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
    friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

  6. #66
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Bangor, ME
    Posts
    3,968

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haffy
    I just think we need to act and act now or we are going to be just that "the gossip site". We need to stand and be counted as the GeocachingMaine organization that everybody looks up to. I dont think this site will stand a chance against a formally organized body if there are any challenges or concerns that are brought up by the media,land trust,forest concerns or any private or public land baron when it comes to presenting the facts concerning geocaching. It will take more than a few individuals to change their minds when we are just a so-called gossip site. But that is just my opinion.
    I'll second that.
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Brewer, Maine
    Posts
    1,832

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    Quote Originally Posted by Haffy
    I just think we need to act and act now or we are going to be just that "the gossip site". We need to stand and be counted as the GeocachingMaine organization that everybody looks up to. I dont think this site will stand a chance against a formally organized body if there are any challenges or concerns that are brought up by the media,land trust,forest concerns or any private or public land baron when it comes to presenting the facts concerning geocaching. It will take more than a few individuals to change their minds when we are just a so-called gossip site. But that is just my opinion.
    While I initially didn't see a reason for an "official" organization, this reasoning is swaying my opinion. I know that in other states, there are groups against geocaching, some with justified complaints, some not (just a bad impression and a "we shouldn't let them do that" attitude).
    An official organization could bring a demonstration or talk to introduce people to the concept, or in cases where there was a legitimate concern, the organization could work with the concerned parties to change the disagreeable actions, or work out a compromise.
    There are a lot people in our group with well thought out and clearly stated ideas about this. Thanks for putting those ideas out for the rest of us to consider.

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Jackson, Maine
    Posts
    109

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beach Comber
    Thank you Rick for putting the poll out and asking for opinions. I like that there is opportunity for anyone interested to put in their two cents and indicate their preference.

    I have been thinking about my preference for this and have also been reading what others have shared. There are a number of good points here and a variety of ways that this could go.

    I have enjoyed the informality of this community and have no strong need for the organization to be different or more formal. It seems that a number of the issues that have been raised are already addressed in the existing structure..........

    Land Trust contacts - A number of people have stepped up to the plate and made connections

    Media - A number of people have written articles, others interviewed, some have given presentations

    Resource - Fellow cachers are available for questions via the website, have acted as mentors when asked, etc.

    Funding - When $ have been needed, individuals have contributed at an event or through the donation button

    Political - If issues arise, it seems that they are brought to the website. If we all keep ours ears and eyes open and share what we learn, we would have very broad coverage without relying on a small number of people being responsible. If something is identified as needing attention, we could make an impromptu plan at that time.

    My preference is to leave things as they are, but I will certainly respect whatever path this takes.
    I agree with all of these points....Including respecting the eventual path that it takes. However, I have a sinking feeling that our site will never be the same if it becomes a "formal" organization. The thought of that makes me sad

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Gainesville, Georgia
    Posts
    3,893

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    Aww, don't be sad, I think only good things can come of this and we will be more united than ever before.
    Just smile it won't crack your face

    The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
    suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
    friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
    5,965

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Haffy
    I just think we need to act and act now or we are going to be just that "the gossip site". We need to stand and be counted as the GeocachingMaine organization that everybody looks up to. I dont think this site will stand a chance against a formally organized body
    Sheesh! Haffy is agreeing with me? Is there a blue moon tonight???


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