2014 Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Geocoin Challenge
For our inaugural event, we are celebrating the 124th birthday of the city, and the Summer Solstice. Come visit historical Mount Vernon, and its wonderful parks system. A family friendly challenge finding 10 of 15 caches to claim the very first Mount Vernon P&R coin. You'll want to return every year to fill the collection.
(Preliminary Sketches, real photos soon)
If you have not visited Mount Vernon, or the Skagit Valley, as a Geocacher you are missing out. This particular challenge is based on the City's expansive parks system, as well as some of the trails and monuments.
Follow the links for the online registration form. Registration is also available the day of the event. It will continue until all of the coins are gone. We only ordered 150, so register early!
We are also offering a catered low profile lunch*.We all know how it is to cache all morning, and not be at our dining best for a meal… Following the lunch is the city’s birthday party hosted by Mount Vernon Mayor Jill Boudreau. Cake will be served (for free!). The party is attended by mostly muggles, so do your best to recruit a cacher or three.
During lunch, there will be a raffle for items donated by local merchants, as well as some geocaching goodies. You must be present to win. Your registration includes a raffle ticket. Additional tickets are available for purchase. All proceeds go to the Mount Vernon Parks Foundation. A non-profit organization that supports the parks projects, and a major contributor to this event.
Home base for this event is at the Hillcrest Lodge, located within Hillcrest Park. 1717 S 13th St Mount Vernon Wa. We will have Wi-Fi and public computers available at the lodge for any last minute updates or information you may need. As our first event, we cannot guarantee that all the parks staff will have a clue what you are talking about! But they will find somebody that does.
Timeline for the event is:
7:30am- Registration Opens
12:00pm-1:00pm. Lunch and Raffle
1:00pm-2:00pm. City Birthday Party
2:00pm Lodge closes
6:00pm Administration office closes
To claim your coin, take the entry form you are given during registration. Mark the caches you found and return them to the administration office for your coin. This event is limited to one coin per household and/or family. For families with more than one registered Geocaching name, please contact staff. Forms can be mailed, or brought in later to claim your coin. Limited to coins available. The event will be closed when the last coin is awarded. If you cannot attend the day of the event, we ask that you call first to check on the availability of the coin. The Parks website will also be updated as the supply dwindles.
*About the Lunch and raffle. There is a nominal fee for the lunch, and please indicate if you will be eating with us. We need to get an estimate. The lodge is also open if you choose to brown bag it. The raffle will take place during the lunch. Additional tickets available during registration.
BONUS:
We are also having a pre-event event. For those that live locally, or plan to travel the day before. We are having a Hodge Podge Geochallenge in Historic Downtown Mount Vernon. Cachers that successfully complete this challenge will earn 5 of the 10 caches needed for the main event. And as a bonus, a Mount Vernon Parks/Downtown Association pathtag. This event is still in the planning stage, but is anticipated that registration will happen around 7pm on Friday. We’ll have a meet and greet, and a issuing of the Hodge Podge Challenge form. You’ll definitely need some TOTT for this….
Hodge Podge Challenge
EXTRA BONUS:
We had a bit of a SNAFU with our first batch of Geocoins. There was a misspelling that 6 different people missed, until after the coins were minted. So, we now have duplicates. If you find and log all 15 Event Caches, you will get both coins!
RV Parking:
Requests have been made for RV Parking. We will open an area for RV's if there is an interest. There are no hookups, and it's a short walk to a restroom facility. Please email geocaching@mountvernonwa.gov for additional details.
Links:
Mount Vernon Parks Geocaching Page
Event Registration Page
Mount Vernon Downtown Association
 This event is sponsored in part by the Washington State Geocaching Association. If you are a geocacher in the state of Washington, please consider joining WSGA. See the WSGA website for details. |