They say everything’s bigger in Texas—and this year, that includes CITO! What began as CITO Across Texas is growing into a worldwide day of community action.

On September 19, 2026, CITO Across the World will unite geocachers at more than 150 locally organized CITO Events around the globe, all with one goal: caring for the places where we play. We spoke with BE Viking, one of the geocachers behind the effort, about how a Texas-sized idea grew into a global initiative.

Geocaching HQ: Tell us a little about yourself. How did you first discover geocaching, and what drew you to CITO Events?

I started geocaching in 2008 after buying a GPS for an upcoming trip to Philmont [Scout Camp] with my oldest son. Soon afterward, I saw an article about geocaching in Scouting Magazine and thought it sounded like the perfect activity for my boys, me, and my new GPS.

My connection to CITO also comes from my scouting background. I have always believed strongly in “Leave No Trace,” and I’m one of those people who is constantly picking up trash when I’m outdoors. CITO takes that instinct and turns it into something bigger—we can have fun together while making a real difference in the places we enjoy.

Geocaching HQ: Where did the idea for CITO Across the World come from? Was there a moment when you realized it could become a global effort?

A little over two years ago, georeyna, a member of the Texas Geocaching Association, came up with the idea for CITO Across Texas: What if geocachers across Texas held CITO Events in their own communities on the same day?

In 2024, our first year, we held 25 events across Texas. Over 2024 and 2025, that grew to more than 50 events, more than 700 volunteers, and thousands of pounds of trash removed.

After that first year, I knew there was potential to make this much bigger.

The breakthrough came this summer when I decided to stop thinking about organizations and simply ask individual geocachers around the world: Would you be willing to host one?

That was the moment I realized this really could become CITO Across the World.

Geocaching HQ: Why was it important to organize CITO Across the World around a single day?

One word: impact.

A CITO with ten people cleaning a neighborhood park can make a real difference. But imagine hundreds of those events happening around the world on the same day.

There is also something powerful about knowing that while you’re cleaning your park, trail, beach, or neighborhood, thousands of other geocachers are doing the same thing in their communities.

On September 19, the events will essentially follow the sun around the world. Every event is local, but for one day we are all part of the same effort.

One Day. Many Communities. A World of Difference.

Geocaching HQ: You already have 100 organizers interested. Were you expecting that kind of response?

Not at all!

The numbers have been changing almost daily. We quickly moved beyond our original goal of 100 coordinated events and are now approaching—or potentially exceeding—150 events around the world, with more still being submitted.

Once I saw the response, I did what any geocacher would do: I raised the goal. Now we’re working toward events in all 50 U.S. states, all 13 Canadian provinces and territories, at least 50 countries, and ultimately more than 2,000 participants.

Geocaching HQ: Why do you think this idea has resonated so strongly with geocachers around the world? What does that response say about the geocaching community?

I think geocachers naturally understand the idea of taking care of the places where we play.

But I think there is another reason this has taken off: people like being part of something bigger than themselves.

When I began reaching out directly to individual geocachers, the response was dramatically different from anything we had tried before. People didn’t need much convincing. They understood the idea immediately and said, “Yes, I want to be part of that.”

Then something even better started happening—people began finding us and asking how they could participate.

I think that says a lot about the geocaching community. Give geocachers an opportunity to do something positive together, and they show up.

Geocaching HQ: Have you heard from any countries or communities you never expected to participate? Is there a place on the map you’re especially excited to see join in?

Absolutely.

I initially concentrated on countries with large geocaching communities. Once I saw the response, I decided to take “Across the World” literally and started reaching out much more broadly.

The Kingdom of Tonga was probably the one that surprised and delighted me the most. When someone in a small Pacific island nation says, “We want to be part of this too,” you realize this truly has become a worldwide effort.

At this point, every time a new country appears on the list, I get excited. I can’t wait to see the photographs and stories coming in from all over the world on September 19.

Geocaching HQ: You have ambitious goals. What would reaching those milestones mean to you?

I love goals—they are part of what keeps geocaching fun for me—but these goals aren’t really about checking boxes on a map.

They give everyone involved something big to pursue together.

But if we miss one of those targets, I won’t view the effort as a failure. The number of events is really just a proxy for the thing that matters most: impact.

More events mean more volunteers. More volunteers mean more parks, trails, beaches, waterways, and neighborhoods improved.

The fact that the geocaching community has created this many events in just a few weeks already makes CITO Across the World a tremendous success.

Geocaching HQ: Coordinating dozens of events is challenging enough. What’s different about coordinating potentially hundreds of CITO Events across multiple continents?

The biggest difference is that this is a very decentralized model.

The local hosts are the people doing the real work. They select the location, organize their CITO, recruit participants, and determine what their community needs.

My role is to connect all of those independent events under one worldwide umbrella—create the concept and branding, recruit hosts, provide templates and information, promote the overall effort, keep track of the events, and ultimately capture the collective results.

That’s what makes the concept scalable. It isn’t one enormous event. It’s potentially hundreds of locally organized events working toward one common purpose.

Geocaching HQ: What’s one thing people probably don’t realize about organizing a project like this?

The amount of administration behind the scenes!

Keeping track of who is interested, where they are located, whether their event has been submitted, whether it has been published, and what needs to happen next has been a significant organizational challenge.

The good news is that we are building the foundation this year. The infrastructure and relationships we’re creating now should make it much easier to grow in future years.

Geocaching HQ: When the day is over, what do you hope participants remember or take away from their experience with CITO Across the World?

I hope they feel proud. Proud of what they accomplished in their own community, but also proud that they were part of something happening all around the world.

Someone may spend two hours cleaning a small neighborhood park with five other people. That may not seem like a worldwide event while you’re standing there holding a trash bag.

But at that same moment, geocachers in dozens of countries will be doing exactly the same thing.

I want people to go home knowing: We made our little part of the geocaching game board better today—and together we made a difference around the world.

Geocaching HQ: Looking ahead, do you see CITO Across the World becoming an annual tradition—and where would you love to see it five years from now?

Absolutely.

My hope is that CITO Across the World becomes a date geocachers automatically put on their calendar every year—a worldwide day of service that people consider a “must do.”

Imagine what the geocaching community could accomplish with an entire year to recruit hosts, develop partnerships, promote events, and engage local communities.

Five years from now, I’d love to see thousands—or even tens of thousands—of people participating around the world.

I’d also like CITO Across the World to become a way to introduce people who don’t geocache to our community. Invite your family. Invite your neighbors. Invite local organizations.

Let them see firsthand that geocaching isn’t only about “finding tupperware in the woods”. It’s also a worldwide community of people who care about the places where we play—and are willing to roll up their sleeves to make those places better.

From a neighborhood park in Texas to an island in the Kingdom of Tonga, every CITO Across the World Event will look a little different. But on September 19, each trash bag filled, trail improved, and community brought together will contribute to something much bigger.

As CITO Events follow the sun around the globe, geocachers have an opportunity to show just how much impact many small, local actions can make when we do them together. Find a CITO Across the World Event near you—or gather your community and host one of your own—and help make your little part of the geocaching game board better.

One Day. Many Communities. A World of Difference.