It's easy to take the hiders that make this game possible for granted. We get caught up in ourselves and don't think about others. Here's a nice post I found in the geocaching.com forums which I felt was worth repeating, and we at The Online Geocacher want to add our personal thanks to it. Hiding caches is the unselfish caring act of providing fun, education and healthy family activity to others. That spirit and generosity keeps this game alive. Thank you.

Here's their post:

Boneman65 wrote

Thanks.

Today the wife and boy and I took a drive out in the country to go geocaching. We spent three hours hunting down geocaches, in the process travelling down back lanes and old gravel roads, visiting places we'd lived near for years and never knew existed. We finished off the day with slushies in a small town, found three more nearby, and drove home smiling and at peace. It was a great day out, and it was all because of a groovy little hobby called Geocaching.

So to all of you who have ever hidden a cache, even if only one, I just want to say thanks. It's your efforts that make days like this possible, and keep this wonderful sport going. Cheers and happiness, and keep up the good work.

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?s=&showtopic=227550&view=findpost&p=4008862

By TheAlabamaRambler

TheAlabamaRambler is Ed Manley, husband to GeoRose (Teresa), father of five wonderful humans, grandfather of two more, and an avid geocacher.

Now retired after a decade in the US Navy followed by 28 years of owning and operating Knowledge Management Systems, an IT consultancy specializing in Workflow Analysis and Business Process Improvement, Ed now has the time to pursue his hobbies: Fishing, Geocaching and Ham Radio... the order of importance changes daily!

He is also W4AGA, an Extra-class Amateur Radio Operator with a passion for serving the public through volunteer disaster-relief preparedness and response. Active as a Communicator and Disaster Relief Chaplain in the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief, American Red Cross (Shelter Manager and ARCHIE Team Lead), the Salvation Army Team Emergency Relief Network (SATERN), Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES AEC - Jefferson County Assistant Emergency Coordinator and OES - Operational Emergency Station) and Assisatant Director of the Zamora Shriners Ham Unit, he can be found on HF daily on 3.965 and on VHF on the Birmingham Amateur Radio Club (BARC) repeater on 146.88.

If you have any interest whatsoever in serving and giving back to your community, saving lives and taking part in the wonderful community of amateur radio please visit http://w4aga.com to learn about the many volunteer opportunities.

Ed is the Editor-In-Chief (sounds high-fallutin, don't it?) of the free online geocaching e-zine The Online Geocacher. He can be contacted via email at mailto:TheAlabamaRambler@gmail.com or by phone at 205-914-6814 from 7 a.m. to Midnight CDT.

73 de W4AGA