NSS Convention

06/01/2026

Happy Cave Week!

There are *hundreds* of caves in the Ohio River Valley, drop a photo in the comments of some of your favorites! 🦇

Let's show the out of town-ers what they can expect.

05/31/2026

We want to give a HUGE shoutout to our sponsors for convention. Thank you to everyone who has helped make convention possible 🙌

05/29/2026

This years JSS activities will include an exciting Geode Hunt. Each kid will get to hunt for, find, crack open and keep their very own geode! ⛏️

If you would like to know more or would like to receive quarterly updates on the JSS, email [email protected]

05/28/2026

Recruit your grotto members and sign up for a shift on the cleaning crew! 🫧🧽

A message from our Facilities Chair Assistant -

My name is Heather from Chicago, and I cave frequently in Indiana. My efforts are focused on coordinating the cleaning crews, and I'm looking for strong support from clubs like yours!

Many volunteers will sign up on-the-day, which will be great, and proves why cavers do indeed, ROCK! In advance of that, I’d like to fill some shift leads and high-impact times + days.

This is where I need you:.
Will your grotto have folks going to Convention? Would your group "sponsor" a day, part of a day, or a regular repeating shift? If a handful of clubs like yours back me up, we’ll take care of 5 days easily! I don’t expect your club to do “all the work” - I just would like to see some people hit these early online signups and say YES to standing as a shift lead. Please help!

In gratitude, I will promote + thank you generously in shout-outs at Convention! There is a daily drawing as well, which I hear has some juicy prizes donated by our Sponsors and other supporters.

Here is the link for volunteer signups. I have posted 5 shifts per day for cleanup crews at the High School + Fairgrounds: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/8533252580101/false #/invitation

05/26/2026

Convention Guidebook sneak peek! 📖👀

The guidebooks are not included in your registration fee but this is one you won't want to miss out on! It's full of the best and beautiful that the Ohio River Valley and surrounding areas have to offer!

The order is being placed soon. If you want one of your own, make sure to get one now! There will be a limited amount available at Convention.

〰️ https://caves.org/product/2026-convention-guidebook/ 〰️

05/23/2026

We know you will have achy bones after caving all week. Get ready to roll out your mat and take a deep breath.. 🧘‍♀️

Caver Yoga is going to be offered Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday!

Sign up at registration. Limited to 20 cavers per session.

05/21/2026

🔹 Workshop Highlight 🔹

The Cave Formation Repair and Restoration Workshop will help train and educate people on techniques and tools that we use to make formation repairs.

Day one will be a three-hour classroom training session, with workstations set up to prepare the participants on the use of the tools and techniques that we use to make repairs to broken cave formations. Day two will be a Field Trip to a local cave where the Speleothem Repair Workshop participants will get hands on training repairing broken formations.

Mike Mansur’s book, The Cave Formation Repair Project: Restoring the Beauty of America’s Great Caves, will be used as the textbook for the class. The $30 registration fee includes a signed copy of his book.

For more information and to register -

Tuesday July 7th & Wednesday July 8th Registration includes both days. Instructed by Mike Mansur, NSS FE CO 2022 Recipient of the NSS Victor A. Schmidt Conservation Award There…

05/19/2026

We have less than 50 days until we're all gathered together in the stunning Ohio River Valley 🎉🍻

We are hard at work and preparations are underway to make this a Convention to remember! Who's getting excited?!

Have you checked the Convention website recently? It has been updated with a wide variety of workshops, field trips, the guidebook, merch, and more!
No worries if you're already registered and wanting to add something else to your cart. Simply check out as usual and our incredible Registration team will make sure all of your stuff is ready for you when you arrive. ☺️

https://caves.org/convention/2026-nss-convention/registration/

05/15/2026

What better way to celebrate International Family Day then by making plans for your kids to join the JSS at this year's Annual NSS Convention! 🦎

We will be focused on games and activities that help kids aged 7-17 appreciate the natural world around them, including a geode hunt, and Emu encounter, a canoe trip, and more!

To learn more or to receive quarterly JSS updates, email [email protected]

05/13/2026

Looking to carpool with someone on your way to convention? Look no further!

Our new tool can help you coordinate carpools with people in your area. Click the link to check it out -

Organize your group's carpool and rideshare needs! Stop using spreadsheets, they don't work. Use it for family get togethers, club outings, school fieldtrips, green weddings, camping trips, etc. Basically any trip with people and cars need to use this website.