What a great turnout for the SLAGA 25th Anniversary event held on September 30th at Rockwoods Reservation. This commemorative event was at the exact same location and same day as the very first SLAGA event held back in 2001.

This old photo shows some of the group of local cachers that attended that event, which became the start of SLAGA. Our charter members Mean Gene and *gln were at that picnic. 

Mean Gene also made this recent 25th anniversary event. When asked about his memories from the first event, he explained that 2001 picnic hosts Steve & Connie (who lived in the vicinity of Meramec Caverns at the time) made three attemps to try to set up a picnic gathering, but it wasn't until the third attempt of contacting cachers in the St. Louis region that the picnic actually took place.  And Gene recalls the weather during that first event was pleasant and a lot like the weather at this 25th anniversary one.

At the 2001 picnic, Gene met and talked for quite awhile with Denali, a fellow geocacher, an Illinois resident and a commercial pilot.  Gene said, "I was impressed by Denali's 100 cache finds and didn't think that was possible."  At that time Gene had about 40 finds and it wasn't until Thanksgiving day that he hit 50 finds. Today in 2026, Gene has more than 27,000 finds! Rooter (his better half) was not in attendance at that first picnic, but she had already starting caching with him and his buddy Roelsch and during travels.  Gene also mentioned, "The first picnic group (about 20 altogether) sat at a few picnic tables chatting and snacking."  There was also a raffle and Red Cross disaster relief fund collection for victims of 9/11 attack.  "Then the group photo was taken, but I opted not to be in it, since my father never wanted his picture taken, and that idea kind of rubbed off on me."  (He's since changed his mind about that.) The historic first SLAGA picnic broke up around 4 pm. 

As for this 2026 early evening event, nearly 40 SLAGA members attended, all excited to celebrate the anniversary of the first ever event.  The board provided a cookie cake, cupcakes, and pathtags for all.

It was obvious it had been awhile since so many cachers had gathered, because everyone genuinely enjoyed meeting and greeting old and a few new caching friends.  There was some upcoming Gravehop talk, and stories of past caching adventures shared.  With Mean Gene in attendance, many cachers bent his ear, including this journalist, as history is best learned from those who experienced it.  

This event felt a bit special, as not only did it commemorate the first event in 2001, but it emphasized that the St.Louis Area Geocachers Association has been around for 25 years now!