--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "nwsrecord"
wrote:
>
> I work for a newspaper and would like to do a story about people
who
> are from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and
> participate in letterbox searches.
> Please contact me if you are interested in discussing your hobby.
> Susan
> for The Record

I realize that everyone has a different point of view on cooperating
with the press. My view is distrust, and will not give them the time
of day. That being said, surely someone will respond to this note
and even though we are here on the left coast I hope that responders
emphasize the secret nature and stealth necessary in letterboxing.
Hopefully the article will mention a basic need to research web
sites, and check out FAQS, and mention the Newboxers list. Without
good background info the "Placed" boxes around Shrewsbury will
certainly be in jeapordy.
My 2 cents on the Record.
Don

Sorry you feel that way. I'm just trying to introduce the hobby to
the people who read our paper.


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "gwendontoo"
wrote:
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "nwsrecord"
> wrote:
> >
> > I work for a newspaper and would like to do a story about people
> who
> > are from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and
> > participate in letterbox searches.
> > Please contact me if you are interested in discussing your hobby.
> > Susan
> > for The Record
>
> I realize that everyone has a different point of view on
cooperating
> with the press. My view is distrust, and will not give them the
time
> of day. That being said, surely someone will respond to this note
> and even though we are here on the left coast I hope that
responders
> emphasize the secret nature and stealth necessary in letterboxing.
> Hopefully the article will mention a basic need to research web
> sites, and check out FAQS, and mention the Newboxers list. Without
> good background info the "Placed" boxes around Shrewsbury will
> certainly be in jeapordy.
> My 2 cents on the Record.
> Don

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "nwsrecord"
wrote:
>
> Sorry you feel that way. I'm just trying to introduce the hobby to
> the people who read our paper.

Susan ,
Please do not take my note personally. I wrote the post strickly
from my own view, and the topic of more publicity is diverse within
the letterboxing community. While most of us learned about
letterboxing from an article, many letterboxers see more publicity
as not necessarily a good thing. While your goal is to write an
interesting story, it may or may not be the most prudent thing for
letterboxing.
The problem with articles written about letterboxing is that they
certainly will create interest and new folks to our hobby, but at
the same time those new folks in their enthusiasm will not take the
time(in many cases) to consider "How to Letterbox". After the Time
magazine article appeared we had 11 of our letterboxes go missing
within a two week period. In one of our letterboxes that we checked
on there were notes left in the logs "Our 7 year old loves this
hobby, and we let him rehide the box!". We found the letterbox
uncovered, right next to the trail.
The "Placers" of Letterboxes tend to be more than a little
possessive, and when boxes go missing, the time invested goes down
the drain. Placers usually hand carve stamps, make logbooks, find
great locations, and try to enhance clues for the "Finders".
Sometimes several days go into the creation of a letterbox, even
though a finder may not need but a few minutes or so to find the
letterbox.
Hopefully any article that is written will contain sufficient
background information so that the reader will respect the concepts
for the hobby.
Again, since I'm located on the other side of the country, there
should be no ill effects to our letterboxes, but with the above
information you can expect both positive and negative reactions to
another letterboxing article.

Don

I tend to agree with you here. The first articles
that I read about letterboxes gave enough information
to peak my curiosity so that I could investigate
further. The more recent pieces that I've read give
way too much detail ie towns and names of boxes. I
love this hobby and have talked to people about it,
but I always stress the secrecy and respect for other
people's property and environment that are involved in
this hobby. As an aside, we take my nine year old
with us, but if she is tasked with re-hiding, we
always double check to be sure that the job is well
done!
--- gwendontoo wrote:

>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "nwsrecord"
>
> wrote:
> >
> > Sorry you feel that way. I'm just trying to
> introduce the hobby to
> > the people who read our paper.
>
> Susan ,
> Please do not take my note personally. I wrote the
> post strickly
> from my own view, and the topic of more publicity is
> diverse within
> the letterboxing community. While most of us learned
> about
> letterboxing from an article, many letterboxers see
> more publicity
> as not necessarily a good thing. While your goal is
> to write an
> interesting story, it may or may not be the most
> prudent thing for
> letterboxing.
> The problem with articles written about
> letterboxing is that they
> certainly will create interest and new folks to our
> hobby, but at
> the same time those new folks in their enthusiasm
> will not take the
> time(in many cases) to consider "How to Letterbox".
> After the Time
> magazine article appeared we had 11 of our
> letterboxes go missing
> within a two week period. In one of our letterboxes
> that we checked
> on there were notes left in the logs "Our 7 year old
> loves this
> hobby, and we let him rehide the box!". We found the
> letterbox
> uncovered, right next to the trail.
> The "Placers" of Letterboxes tend to be more than a
> little
> possessive, and when boxes go missing, the time
> invested goes down
> the drain. Placers usually hand carve stamps, make
> logbooks, find
> great locations, and try to enhance clues for the
> "Finders".
> Sometimes several days go into the creation of a
> letterbox, even
> though a finder may not need but a few minutes or so
> to find the
> letterbox.
> Hopefully any article that is written will contain
> sufficient
> background information so that the reader will
> respect the concepts
> for the hobby.
> Again, since I'm located on the other side of the
> country, there
> should be no ill effects to our letterboxes, but
> with the above
> information you can expect both positive and
> negative reactions to
> another letterboxing article.
>
> Don
>
>
>
>




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