Thank You

[cachercop]

I want to thank the group of Columbia, SC area Geocachers that gave up their Saturday, October 28 for a good cause. I wish I was able to remember names, but unfortunatly don't.

Many people from the Columbia area may be familiar with Camp Kemo, which provides a week of camping for young cancer patients every summer. It is held at Camp Kinard in Leesville, SC. In connection with Camp Kemo several other weekends are held throughout the year. This past weekend, A camp was provided for children who have lost a sibling to cancer in the past year. As part of the activities, a group of Geocachers from the Columbia area came out to Camp Kinard and spent the morning teaching the kids about geocaching and taking groups of kids around to find caches hidden in the woods.

The amount of fun the kids (and counselors) had was great. Everyone was very patient with the kids, showing and explaining how the GPS's worked and letting them use them to find caches. A good time was had by all. I was very pleased to have had the oppurtunity to meet and work with them. And a Thank You goes out to all.

It also introduced me to geocaching, and I now have a fun use for the E-trex I bought a couple of years ago.

Thanks Again

[+tands]

Helping with this camp and seeing the kids lose themselves in the joy of geocaching was the most fun we've ever had with while geocaching. This event and others like it, run by the Palmetto Childrens Hospital, are a chance for anyone lucky enough to volunteer to bring Heaven to the world.

 

Jon and Miki organized the geocaching activity for the campers, placing 9 incredibly devious and fun caches for the kids to find.

 

Geocachers who participated include but aren't limited to ScienceNerd, Hologram13, CR of Sissy and CR, TandS, and last but not least, the Evil Llatnek.

 

Thanks also goes out to Magellan who donated 9 GPS units for the camp to keep and use in the future.

 

Also Hologram13 and CR drove 90 minutes to 2 hours each way to help with this. There just aren't many folks more gracious than that these days, but Jon and Miki might qualify.

 

This event was held at the Kinard Conference Center in Central Southern SC. We arrived at 10am just as llatnek drove up. Soon CR pulled into the parking lot checking his coordinates and checking in with Sissy. ScienceNerd who up until then had been a ghost of a shadow of an enigma to us arrived and we geeked out over some science. Hologram13 arrived just before Jon and Miki who carried the trove of donated new GPS units.

 

John Tate of the Lexington County Sheriff's Department helps out at all of these camps, and drove up in his Mule wearing a bandanna around his head like a 'Heaven's Angel' and accompanied by two other sheriffs department volunteers.

 

Jon and Miki had spent most of the previous day with the camp counselors placing 9 incredible caches and marking the coordinates with perfect accuracy.

 

After a short strategy session the geocacher volunteers proceeded to the geocaching activity start area, a natural ampitheater beside one of the camp's lakes. The campers arrived in a hay wagon, poured out into the ampitheater, and turned into a cloud of kid-chaos. In no time Jon showed his expertise in herding cats and had the kids organized and off searching for treasure. The campers were natural geocachers, and they even shared the GPS units. S and I were amazed at the creative hides used for the caches, and the children were astounded and hooked by having one of the best introductions to geocaching possible.

 

Afterwards the camp invited us to stay and share a great lunch. We felt like we were truly part of the happiness there.

 

Jon and Miki really came through for a group of children living through one of life's greatest pains. These kids forgot all their troubles for the time they spent seeking treasure. And speaking for ourselves, the geocachers who volunteered were blessed to participate.

 

- T of TandS

[+tands]

Oops, I meant Hologram21.

 

- T of TandS

[+jamrasc]

I really wish we could have helped out, but had other obligations that day. Hopefully next time help is needed we'll be available.

[+Renegade Knight]

Thanks for taking time to give Kudo's where they are deserved. Like everthing else we tend to hear the other side of things so when someone takes time to give recognition for the good things, it stands out all the more.

 

We look forward to some of those kids becoming power cachers down the road.

[+llatnek]

Oops, I meant Hologram21.

 

- T of TandS

 

Whew......I thought Hologram had been demoted.