The Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, in observing Take Pride in America Day is welcoming the
assistance of Nebraska area geocachers to help with park
maintenance as they prepare for the upcoming season. The park
is in need of volunteers to help repair, tighten, scrape and
repaint the picnic tables at Victoria Springs. The coordinates
above are for the entrance to the park. Park permits are
required to enter the park. Day passes can also be obtained
the day of the CITO.
Park Superintendent Russell Wilkie
will be guiding us all in this process and was very excited that a
group would offer assistance like this. He will be meeting us
at the park at 9am. We will gather at the large picnic area (N 41
36.494 W 99 45.042). This area is handicap accessible. Make sure
you wear clothing you don’t mind getting paint on. Sure you may be
careful but the guy next to you may be the next Jackson
Pollock!
Wrenches in the following sizes
are needed to tighten the tables: 7/16, 1/2, and 9/16. Extra paint
scrapers and paintbrushes could be helpful so if you have some,
bring them. The park will provide paint. As time allows and
depending on the turnout, we will also be raking and cleaning
around the lake so bring your gloves and rakes just in case!
Since we will be painting outside, inclement weather would
postpone the event.
After the work is completed
(approximately 12:00), we will have lunch. Just in case we really
get wild out there at the park and paint all of the tables,
lawn/camp chairs may be needed for the lunchtime/tall tales session
of the day!
The Subway of
Broken Bow will be providing party subs for the hard workers. I
will need a head-count by May, 3rd so there will be enough subs for
everyone. A huge thanks to Manager Kelly Reynolds and to
Subway for donating the party subs.
The Grocery Cart of Broken Bow
will be providing soft drinks and bottled water throughout the day.
Huge thanks to Dave Green and The Grocery Cart for their
generous donation. We could use additional coolers filled
with ice, so if you have them to spare, it would be greatly
appreciated. Please E-mail me
to let me know.
Anyone willing to bring dessert or
side dishes are more than welcome to do so. Please list what you
will be bringing so others will know.
"Established in 1925, Victoria
Springs State Recreation Area is the third oldest area in
Nebraska's state park system. Located 6 miles east of Anselmo or 7
miles north of Merna, Victoria has justly been described as an
oasis in the Sand Hills. It is one of the most picturesque areas in
the state.
As one might suppose, the 60-acre
area draws its name from the mineral springs located there. It was
once part of the homestead of an early pioneer and Custer County
judge, Charles R. Matthews. In the heyday of the spas, Victoria's
waters were much acclaimed, and its spring water was bottled for
sale.
Still on the site are the log
cabins that Judge Matthews built ... one as his home and the other
as the first post office in Custer County. Victoria is the only
state recreation area with cabin accommodations. Other facilities
include a campground, picnic area, and rental boats."
Why
CITO?
CITOs are a very important part of
geocaching. Along with the obvious reasons of keeping our
planet clean and healthy and making sure we say thank you for the
areas that we are allowed to play in, CITOs are important in
fostering a good relationship with land managers. I think
this is crucial in keeping the sport/hobby of geocaching
alive. Even though we all do our part every time we visit a
cache, large events show our communities that we are a responsible
and committed group.
For Fun As We Eat:
Prizes!
Because I have enjoyed the
camaraderie of the Nebraska geocachers and know this will be a long
drive for most of you and because of my feelings about the
importance of CITOs I have been busy securing prizes to be given
out after the work is done. It is my way of saying thank you
to a wonderful group of people. The prize list may continue
to grow so stay tuned:
In keeping with Electric Mouse’s
willingness to donate her volunteer coins to promote Nebraska
CITOs, I have decided to do the same. I will be using several
of coins that I have purchased as prizes to be awarded by drawing.
So there would be more coins and a greater variety to give away, I
offered for trade on the forums a rare coin that I earned.
The response has been great and I negotiated a 20-coin trade all to
be used as prizes for the event.
Prizes:
This CITO won a drawing by
Electric Mouse for the new CITO coin. The
coin is trackable on GC.com and has it’s own icon.
Nice assortment of 20+ geocoins that I traded
for. Most are trackable w/ icon.
After seeing my post about the coin trade for the CITO, geocacher
Damenace from Utah has donated 9
coins to be given away at the CITO also! A huge
thanks to him!
We also have great prizes donated
by Trimble, the 2006 CITO sponsor. Along with some
tee shirts and caps, we were sent one of the
Motorola i415 GPS Mobile Phone with
Trimble Outdoors. This $230 phone package includes an
armband, bike mount and a one year subscription to Backpacker
magazine.
Two Nebraska geocoins from
Nebraskache.
There will be some ready
made caches, a Delorme atlas (my
favorite) and battery case (the kind Contryguy
uses).
Also I have heard that a special someone (to me) will be attending
the CITO from South Carolina and will have a small SC
trinket for everyone in attendance.
If the turnout is low, I will
donate some of the coins to the next CITO event for prizes.
Bring your extra geocoins from home and we will have a mini coin
swap as we eat and enjoy each other’s company.
Bonus Prizes:
Electric Mouse has requested
many photos and enthusiastic logs so why not have a contest?
Bring your cameras and post you pictures and logs. Since the
theme of the prizes seems to be coins, I have a special coin on
order that will be mailed out to the cachers with 1) the most
enthusiastic log and 2) the coolest photos!
As many of
you know, Nebraska is not my home state but the state I have called
home for 5 years. I have explored the state through many
areas that the Nebraska Game and Parks allow us access to.
While permits are required for some, many areas are free and have
become the favorite playgrounds for geocachers. Nebraskans
are indeed lucky to have the use of all this land! I am
hoping that everyone shows their appreciation for these areas by
continuing to practice CITO throughout the state. By
assisting the Nebraska Game and Parks we foster a relationship that
will benefit everyone so please mark your calendars and we will see
you on May 6th!
Mr. Wilkie has also
stated the same need at the Arnold SRA in June so if you have been
looking to host a CITO….if someone volunteers to host this CITO, I
will donate similar items (coins, atlas & caches) to be given
away.
Recap
of Details:
What:
Victoria Springs Cito
When:
May 6th, 2006 @ 9:00AM
Where: Victoria Springs State Recreation
Area
Bring: Wrenches sizes 7/16, 1/2, and
9/16, paint scrapers, paint brushes, gloves, rakes, coolers*,
food*, lawn chairs, and sunscreen.
* See above