NWOGEO members have adopted the practice of placing an "SQ" in front of the title of a cache that has been placed in a cemetery. This serves 2 purposes. First it immediately shows a geocacher that is browsing the web that the cache is located in a cemetery and secondly it's a proactive move on our part because when we add the SQ to the title we also add a paragraph to the cache description that states:
The "SQ" in the cache name above signifies Spirit Quest, a project by the Northwest Ohio Geocachers to distinguish those caches that are set in cemeteries or memorial gardens. This cache is part of that series created by NWOGEO members to highlight cemeteries or memorial gardens in the area. Please be respectful of the area, and observe their rules and posted hours which are typically sunrise to sunset.
Please copy and paste (Ctrl-C & Ctrl-P) the following HTML code to your SQ cache page:
Code: Select all
The "SQ" in the cache name above signifies Spirit Quest, a project by the Northwest Ohio Geocachers to distinguish those caches that are set in cemeteries or memorial gardens. This cache is part of that series created by NWOGEO members to highlight cemeteries or memorial gardens in the area. Please be respectful of the area, and observe their rules and posted hours which are typically sunrise to sunset. <br> For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.NWOGEO.org/SpiritQuest/" target="_blank"> <b>www.NWOGEO.org/SpiritQuest/</b></a>
This kind of language covers our butts a little bit in case local authorities start investigating geocaching in NW Ohio. There are valid reasons to continue presenting a squeaky clean image of geocaching to the public of NW Ohio. I urge you to go to the geocaching.com forums and search "South Carolina cemeteries" and read the pages upon pages of information that has been gathered and topics debated regarding this. Basically it comes down to this: South Carolina legislators were informed by local churches that people were trespassing on cemetery grounds during restricted hours (night) and doing questionable things (geocaching.) There was ample evidence in the form of online logs as well as pictures posted in logs of people in cemeteries doing silly things like posing with headstones, making goofy faces next to headstones, etc. Generally this was all done in good geocaching fun but it was not appreciated by the churches and historical societies of the state. The locals were up in arms therefore the legislators were up in arms and there is now a South Carolina LAW that bans geocaching in cemeteries and state historical areas.
This brings me to finding caches in cemeteries.
Officially NWOGEO does not condone geocaching in cemeteries after dark, nor do we suggest finding caches in certain other areas at inappropriate hours where the activity might be construed as trespassing. In the event that you have participated in geocaching activities at a cemetery or park after hours it's highly suggested to keep those types of comments out of the online logs. If Metroparks folks or local police wanted to start checking up on geocaching or someone that opposes geocaching wanted to start looking in online logs they might easily find some evidence that would give their opinion some weight.
Please go back to the online logs for caches you may possible have found in cemeteries or other off limits areas during the dark and ammend the wording so that it doesn't appear to the casual observer that you were trespassing.
Any questions ? Please feel free to send them to me or post them here in the NWOGEO forums.
Thanks much!
Craig / Hydnckr
NWOGEO Steering Committee