Hello, everyone who was fortunate enough to have attended The One In Tenn. Letterboxing Gather, on March 17th. If you were present during the short talk by Metro Parks director, Traci Bennett Hobek then you know the quandry that we face as Tennesseans, where letterboxing is concerned in the Metro Nashville area. There are strick limitations and regulations that must be followed in order to plant a box on Metro Park property, legally. With the introduction of a few new letterboxers in the area, I thought now would be the time to address this issue. As most of you know, The Geo-cache Society of Nashville was responsible for the proposal that was submitted (and approved) to Metro City Council and the Department of Metro Parks and Recreation. Because geo-caching and letterboxing involve hiding and finding containers for recreation, letterboxing was folded into the proposal submitted by The Geo-cache Society. The rub is that geo-cachers are awarded and allowed more boxes because it was their idea to petition city government. Traci has agreed to submit a proposal to the Metro City Council, and the Department of Metro Parks and Recreation on behalf of letterboxers in the Metro Nashville area. All we have to do is create one. I have been collecting ideas from folks in this area in regard to what it might say. My intent is to present letterboxing as a family friendly, environmentally safe sport/hobby that fosters opportunities in a number of areas, such as family fellowship, artistic expression, creativity, respect for and nurturing of the land, historical education, without costing an arm and a leg like geo-caching does. With the freedom allowed to geo-cachers through their endevours, along with the presentation on Geo-caching at T.O.I.T. in March, it was tempting to try it for a while, but let's be serious, I can't afford a GPS unit worth using. I could pay a gas bill or a utility bill (or both) with what they cost. Besides, I feel like one ought to "dance with who brung you". That is why I am asking for your vote...What? No!...that is why I am asking for your ideas as far as submitting a proposal that would get us out of the net with geo-caching and give us a bit more leeway in regard to planting and pursuing our pastime. I feel like letterboxing is a great passtime that brings families closer together and the long term benifits are outstanding both to society and to the environment. Please help me out so I can help you out. AQ-mail me (OFF-POST) ideas and stories about how letterboxing has influenced your life and the lives of your families, improved your health, and just made life better for you. Thanks for helping and maybe we can plant a few more boxes real soon. Happy Hunting!

For us, it got us off the couch, away from the computers (somewhat- i'm addicted to AQ) and moving. We've logged more walk time in the past 6 months than in the past 10 years. In fact, on our anniversary trip last month to Vegas, we rented a car and hiked in those beautiful parks close by. It can do nothing but help our health, we have a couple (ahem) extra pounds and hope this summer's excursions will reduce those. So I would definitely include something about the health aspects, especially for overweight children and adults. Another thing that has amazed us is the number of historic and natural parks that are so close by that we knew nothing about. When we visit a new beautiful or educational place, we are sure to share that information with others, including my students, in hopes they will visit on their own. We also try to donate to the upkeeps of the parks we visit... that might get their attention- money! Thanks mstwndll for working so hard for us- where do you find the time to make those beautiful stamps? We hope to find a few more on Monday!

wen

If you go to your profile page you can pull up your sent messages. If you wouldn't mind, copy and paste this mesage into an AQ-mail and send it to me as I am "archiving" all of the responses. You had some very good thoughts, here. Especially the part about all of my beautiful stamps :) Seriously, I had a knee and femur replacement in 2003 and since May of last year Gracy and I have hiked 1000 miles (as of last Saturday). Tomorrow we are setting out to work on the second "G". Thank you for your comments as well as your compliments. You are always appreciated and I look forward to meeting again.