If you read the thread entitled "GPS Summer School" you'll see we've had a relationship with the Elachee Nature Center in Gainesville for a number of years. We've had geocaches there; they've hosted one of our monthly meetings. We've supported their summer school program for middle school kids by holding GPS/Geocaching lessons for the kids; Elachee is hosting our next GGA Geocaching Challenge in October.
Slayerette has donated a GPS/PC cable for their two Magellan GPSrs, Kenneth Pruett has helped by upgrading the firmware in those units.

When I helped out with trail relocation work earlier this month the preserve manager, Cynthia Crotwell, said she was planning to put together some "Nature Packs" that visitors could check out and use. Different Nature Packs would have different themes - a birding one might have binoculars and a bird handbook, for example.

Then there's geocaching.
I got this today:

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Hiya Erik.
Elachee is putting together some Nature Packs that folks can check out and use on our trails. We would like to include GPS activities and geocaching info.

Do you think any of the geocachers would be able to donate some used equipment to supply our packs?
We will need about 6…??

I also am working on getting the trails GPS'd this fall somehow.
I would like to do a GPS trail map on our website that folks could download.
And maybe a link to the geocache site?

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I would love to be able to support putting together these kits, having visitors hunt the caches that are there, and/or put together a series of virtual stops along a loop trail where people collect clues to open a cache placed in the Nature Center when they return the Nature Pack.

But she needs GPS receivers. I bought a new GPS for the kids to use at the Summer School, but frankly like my old Garmin 12 Map better than the new Garmin Legend. Not totally sure I want to donate the Legend, but am thinking about it. Anyone else got a spare GPS ???

Thanks!

~erik~

Erik,

If this were a temporary loan I might be able to do so, but once by BIL asks for his Vista back my SporTrak will be my primary unit again.

As long as I can get mine back around the beginning of '05 I should be able to loan the SporTrak to them. WIll this suffice for now?

Let me know,

- Mark (S-4-C)

How about a collection and buying them some GPSr's. Voluntary of course but collect at the next two meetings (CITO and The Challenge) and then buying them as some sort of a payback.

You could also sell chances. $1.00 a chance/500 chances = $500 and buy 3 GPSr's - one for the prize and 2 for the Nature Center.

I for one would gladly give either way.

T1

Any chance of Magellan or Garmin donating some units?

If we do take up donations, do we buy the units or give the money to Elachee to buy them?
Buying multiple units might get a price break....

It sure would be nice if we could get them more Magellans so they have consistency and the ability to use a SD card. I believe the new Magellans are cheap, but don't do SD and I think don't even connect to your PC.

Kenneth

Not having a spare GPSr, I like Thorny1's idea of cache donations to purchase units for them. This, too, ensures that we can get them equipment compatible to what they already have.

Curious. They have Magellans... But what model?

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Originally posted by Boo:
Not having a spare GPSr, I like Thorny1's idea of cache donations to purchase units for them. This, too, ensures that we can get them equipment compatible to what they already have.

Curious. They have Magellans... But what model?

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They have Magellan Meridian Green (same as Yellow), the standard model with 2MB base map.
Most of the Meridian series units will work with the accessories -- Meridian Gold, Platinum, Sporttrak, etc, but they are more costly.

Kenneth

hey all ...

at this sundays NFL travel bug kickoff, we will have a 50/50 raffle, for those that want to be a part of it. those people that enter, will write their name on a dollar bill (the more dollars entered, the more chances to win) and place it in a bucket. a bill will be drawn, and the name on that bill will get 1/2 the pot, and the other half will go towards funding for a gps (or more) for elachee.

if interested in entering the raffle, please contact me.

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the other half will go towards funding for a gps (or more) for elachee.

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Wow, that's great!

The more I think about it, the suggestions of collecting money makes a lot more sense than expecting geocachers to have a spare GPS laying around.

Every spare GPS I left laying around fell off as soon as the car started moving.

~erik~

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Every spare GPS I left laying around fell off as soon as the car started moving.

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wait... is this erik or trailerman??

Both.
Julys Elachee camp last year...

I'm up for donating some cash. "Spare" GPS units are probably going to be far and few between.

If it's part of a nature pack, 6 x ($70-90) yellow etrex's would be about $500... Would think we could swing a good part of that.

Given that it's for a good cause, I'd like to think that Garmin/Magellan might step up too. I'll drop an email to garmin unless somebody already has a contact there.

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Given that it's for a good cause, I'd like to think that Garmin/Magellan might step up too. I'll drop an email to garmin unless somebody already has a contact there.

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That would be great.

I think collecting money is probably the best way to go. Our sport is too young for people to have "old GPSrs" sitting aroung.

Maybe we can start at our Sept. CITO event.

~erik~

actually erik, we will be starting this sunday at the NFL kickoff with our 50/50 raffle.

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actually erik, we will be starting this sunday at the NFL kickoff with our 50/50 raffle.

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You're certainly correct, I'm sorry for the oversight.

I can't make the event, so I'm afraid I'll miss out on the raffle.

~erik~

We had $26 entered into the 50/50 raffle this evening! Looking forward to more money tomorrow night at the NFL Travel Bug Racer Kick-Off!

Remember, you do not have to be present to win. If your dollar bill is the one that is picked at random, then you get half the pot and the other half goes to buying new a new gps or more if money allows for the elachee nature center! The more money you enter, the better your odds! So c'mon folks - empty your wallet and enter the 50/50 raffle!

And after all... the money is going to a good cause!

More details Sunday night!

-TP

Erik, please remind me to give you one of my spare little yellow eTrex units.

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Erik, please remind me to give you one of my spare little yellow eTrex units

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Like the one I bought you after leaving yours on the roof of my Land-Rover after GPS Summer School last year?

That would be great.

My company's working on a big charity drive over Columbus Day weekend in October to collect money for children's charities. I'm trying to get Elachee included in that.

~erik~

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Erik, please remind me to give you one of my spare little yellow eTrex units

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Yeah, don't forget! Sorry you weren't able to make the GGA Challenge Event - I know you were looking forward to participating.

I counted what we'd collected for Elachee so far - it's $203.25. Since two checks are included I'd better give it all to Cynthia soon to keep check books in balance. If Greg comes thru with his Etrex that should allow the park to have three GPSrs, or two if the donations are spent on one with mapping capabilities.

Thanks to all who helped out!

~erik~

That reminds me, I never got a response to my email back from Garmin if they would be willing to help out or not.

I guess my request got bit-bucketed. Sigh. I don't have any personal contacts over there, so...

Erik,
I just went through a similar process for Girl Scouts ... my troop has been introducied to Geocaching, mainly thanks to a tremendous help from Trez. I have an older model Magellan that I bought from someone on eBay. That is what we have been using for over a year.

I went to the Thales Navigation website (Magellan) and clicked on Contact Us. I sent a general email to them asking if they made donations to non-profit organizations and they responded by asking me what we needed. A week or so after I sent the specific request (for 4-6 GPSr units - and that we would take whatever they were willing to donate - refurbished, used, discontinued, etc.), they responded that our request could be filled.

When I got home last Thursday afternoon, there was a package on my doorstep. Inside was SIX brand new Magellan eXplorist 300 GPSr's!!

I could not believe it! And we got them just in time to go on an all afternoon geocaching adventure with Trez and his niece on Sunday!

Please email me at cev2583@aol.com and I will give you the persons name and email address and the physical address to Thales Navigation. It would certainly be worth a try to contact them for donations.