Schedule:
10:00 am - Registration (sign the log, grab a nametag & sign up for various raffles and door prizes!)
12:00 pm - Lunch (see details below)
1:00 pm - Game prizes awarded, group photo & Raffle/Auction (donations gladly accepted)
2:00 pm - CITO wooded area to the west of the shelter
*Note: We have the shelter reserved for the whole day and you are more than welcome to hang out. But if you choose to stay at the shelter, we ask that you leave the area clean so we do not incur any surprise clean-up fees.
We have been asked by the US Army Corps of Engineers to clean up the wooded area to the west of the shelter (between the shelter and dam). Please hang around and help us haul out a bit of trash to say thanks to the USACE for supporting our hobby and our event.
Pitch-In Lunch:
Plates, plastic ware and napkins will be provided. If you would like to join in, please bring your own entree and drinks, plus a dish to share. If your last name begins with A-R, bring a side dish. If your last name begins with S-Z, bring a dessert. The shelter has limited electricity and we will provide a couple of power strips, so crock pots should not be a problem.
There is a grill available near the shelter, however you will be responsible for bringing your own supplies and cleaning up this area after the event.
Activities:
Closest to the Pin contest will go on from 10am until Noon. Prize awarded after lunch.
A get-to-know-your-neighbor "Meet & Greet" game will be available. Once your sheet is filled, turn it in for an opportunity to win a prize!
There is a playground VERY near the shelter. Please keep an eye on your little ones in this area!
We will raffle and/or auction off a few select items and door prizes will be offered throughout the day. If you would like to donate items for either the raffles or door prizes, please let us know. All donations are GREATLY appreciated.
One of the raffle highlights is our Celebrity Ammo Box auction. Four cachers/artists have been chosen (secretly!) and they have all been working hard on their creations, which will be revealed at the Picnic. Then the boxes will be auctioned off to help recover costs incurred for this event.
Notes:
There is NO admission fee to the Observation Mound Shelter. The shelter is wheelchair accessible and modern bathrooms are available at the opposite end of the parking lot.
A special event pathtag will be available for purchase at the event ($3/each or 2/$5).
Camping:
The picnic hosts will be camping at Lake Mississinewa / Miami SRA (Site 41), a short drive from the shelter (coordinates provided as a child waypoint). A campground map will be uploaded to this cache page soon. If you reserve a site, please be sure to let us know which one in your "will attend" log and we'll add you to the map.
You can follow this link to the IDNR Reservation Website >> Camping Reservations
Other Weekend Events:
Friday Evening: Friday Night Campfire Event hosted by superstutz
Saturday Evening: The Rock and Roll Reeducation of &Sarah hosted by Team Shydog
Sunday Morning: Hurry Up and Git Breakfast Event hosted by Geo Minions
If anyone is interested in hosting an event in relation to Spring Picnic weekend, please let us know. Anyone can host, we just like to keep track of events so there is no overlap/conflict.
The Indiana Spring Picnic also has a page on Facebook. Search for "Indiana Geocaching Spring Picnic" and please *like* us. Our Spring Picnic events are also posted within this group.