Geocachers Help Grant a Make-A-Wish® for a Geocaching Teen

Jared and geocachers at
Jared and geocachers at Evergreen Park in Bremerton, WA.

A lot of geocachers will pull over between point A and point B to find a geocache. For Make-A-Wish® recipient, Jared, he and his family would often pick up geocache finds between home and the hospital. His early teenage years were often spent in hospitals from Aberdeen, South Dakota to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He logged smileys all around the three medical centers.

He says, “When I was in the hospital I would look on the website. I would look for trackables and take them to geocaches back home with me.”  Jared123, as he’s known in the geocaching community, endured three major surgeries for a life-altering digestive issue. Through traveling to treatment, he and his family logged hundreds of miles. They tapped into geocaching to break the tension between medical procedures.

Jared discovered he had been chosen for  Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories. Jared thought about where he could go and what he could do. Many children decide to take a trip to Disneyland or spend time with their family on a vacation to Hawaii.

Jared (center) with his family and Make-A-Wish volunteers
Jared (center) with his family and Make-A-Wish volunteers

Jared was born in the Seattle area, and when he learned that Geocaching HQ was located in Seattle, he made his choice.

Make-A-Wish organized the visit and contacted local geocachers. An event called Jared From SD Wishes for your Presence was planned to welcome him to the Northwest. And Jared wanted to meet, and geocache with, one of the most creative geocache hiders on the West Coast of the U.S: goblindust.

Geocachers from several counties away showed up to greet their fellow geocacher. Jared says, “I couldn’t’ really believe how many people came there. There were 85-90 people who attended. There were a whole bunch of volunteers and businesses who donated for the event.”

Jared then took to the geocaching trail, claiming, The SUPER Pages as his favorite geocache of the trip and perhaps of all time. He says, “I found some of the most unique geocaches ever, or even in the world.” To offer you some proof, geocacher goblindust has a creative geocache found in this video (we just won’t tell you which one).

Jared then visited Geocaching HQ, meeting with the founders of Geocaching.com and having lunch with the people who power the experience. He also led his dad to log his first geocache—the giant treasure chest in the lobby of Geocaching HQ.

Jared and his dad at Geocaching HQ
Jared and his dad at Geocaching HQ

You can watch Jared’s tour of Geocaching HQ in this 6 second Vine video. Jared did what any geocache might do when they leave Geocaching HQ, he went geocaching some more.

Geocachers who logged the event say, “Thanks to all who put this together, the vendors who donated, and to Jared for inviting us to help make his wish!!! It was a pleasure meeting you and your parents! Enjoy your visit, and hope you enjoy all the fun caches we have to offer! Goblindust…you’re a rockstar! TFTE!”

Jared says the trip was a wish come true, “I guess I couldn’t really believe it. I’ll remember this day forever.”