a National Honor Newsletter Redwood Empire Council Winter 2012 Orca Lodge No. 194 Volume 19 Boy Scouts of America Issue 1 Redwood Empire Council downsizes Mow-A-Toc Chapter Moves North The long ribbon of Highway 101 member or alumni of Orca Lodge who are currently registered with the BSA and the OA to be able to purchase Orca lodge patches and memorabilia. This was a wonderful motion to allow our Mow-A-Toc members and Patch Traders a chance to continue purchasing Orca s patches. became a little shorter in mid-january when Pacific River District and Del Norte District were transferred to the Crater Lake Council. This realignment of districts with a new council also moved Orca Lodge s Mow-A-Toc Chapter to Lo La Qam Geela Lodge, a member of Section W1S. The territorial maps of Crater Lake Council and Section W1S have already been moved, while the Redwood Empire Council moved a little slower and finds itself still going though the grieving process. For now, Orca lodge will move In 1994 Mow-A-Toc Lodge (originally chartered in 1944) merged with Cabrosha Lodge (originally chartered in 1959) to form Orca Lodge with-in the relatively new Redwood Empire Council. It was decided early on to retain the original lodge names as two unique Chapters within the newly created lodge. Ever since then, countless friendships have been formed which will last forever. forward on its Journey to Excellence with Cabrosha Chapter taking on the mantle of the Lodge. And with our reduced numbers, now more than ever, we will need every member to step up and help move us forward. At press time we learned that the Redwood Empire Council has received a charter for the next full year. Only the future will tell what direction we will travel and we look forward to you joining with us on this exciting Journey! As Orca Lodge moved forward, we fell into a pattern of separate Ordeals, two in each chapter per year, with the alternation of the Fellowship Weekends and Lodge Dinners between both Chapters. This allowed Orca s arrowmen a chance to experience each chapter s membership, ordeals, and camps. Ultimately, we came to enjoy the fellowship of two chapters in one lodge in the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service. At our last Lodge Executive Board Meeting held in January at the Scout Hut in Arcata, Ca., a motion was made to let any past Page 1 No, Mow-A-Toc Chapter didn t move that far north! In This Issue: Lodge Dinner...2 OA Song and NLS...3 Dues Form...4 CMN Work Party...5 Lodge Elections...6 Veteran Luncheon Flags...7 NOAC 2012...7
2011 Lodge Dinner one for the Ages! More than sixty Arrowmen from around the Redwood Empire Council descended on St John s Catholic Church School, in Healdsburg, for this year s Lodge Dinner. We didn t know it at the time, but this was to be the last dinner with our Brothers from the north, Mow-A-Toc Chapter. The dinner followed after the final Lodge Executive Council Meeting of the year. As we gathered and during dinner there was much fellowship. Immediately after dinner we got down to elections and handing out the yearly awards. After some spirited and surprising elections, your 2011 Lodge Officers are as follows: Chief: Adam Taylor Vice Chief: Martin Campbell Secretary: Tyler Durbin Treasurer: John Dempsey The 2011 Lodge Officers are excited to get to work on the 2012 year, as this year will see Your 2011 Vigil Candidates, from left to right, Mike McHugh, Tyler Durbin, and Robert Kerr the first NOAC in three years which will be held at Michigan Rocky Campbell & Adam Tyler State University. In addition receive the Founders Award they intend to maintain a strong presence at the annual W3N Conclave at Camp Marin Sierra and score well on the Journey to Excellence (replaces the Quality Lodge recognition). Three Vigil Candidates were announced at the Lodge Dinner. They were: Tyler Durbin, Robert Kerr and Mike McHugh. The Vigil Weekend was held in December at Camp Riggs Johnston in Eureka where they all On the weekend of Jan. 20-21, 2012, the last full Orca Lodge event (both Cabrosha and Mow-A-Toc Chapters) was held at the Scout Hut in Redwood Park, Arcata, California. Daniel Washburn arranged the use of the Scout Hut, with Rocky Campbell serving as head cook. Special guest visitors joined the lodge from Lo La Qam Geela Lodge, Crater Lake Council, Oregon to meet and greet the soon to be transferred lodge members. Tom Brownell, Lodge Adviser and Bruce Mimnaugh, Lodge Associate Adviser were excited to learn that all the current Orca Lodge Officers would be joining Lo La Qam Geela Lodge, as they could use a few more good arrowmen. The LLD is a yearly youth officers training required for Quality Lodge/Journey to Excellence. All Clan, Chapter and Lodge Page 2 successfully completed their Vigil and enjoyed fellowship with 20 plus members and experienced the cozy North Coast weather. Orca Lodge s prestigious Silver Fluke was awarded to Mike Dempsey, Sam Lozano, Kelly Joyce and Mike LeRoy. All have dedicated at least an hour a week of their time to the Order since their Ordeals and Orca thanks them for all of the service they put into the Order. The James E. West Fellowship award was given to Tim Bradford and Keith Schoenthal. Both have continued to dedicate their efforts to the lodge, which has helped to keep us on the path to remaining Your 2011 Lodge Officers a Quality Lodge. In particular both has spent many hours maintaining and keeping Camp Masonite Navarro functioning. The Founder s Award was presented to some very deserving and tireless brothers, the 2011 Lodge Chief Adam Taylor and 2011 Mow-A-Toc Chapter Adviser Rocky Campbell. Herb Williams, Council President was in attendance and was the Key Note speaker. He addressed the Lodge about his time as a youth during which he attained the rank of Eagle and his love of scouting. Herb further spoke about the hard facts and challenges the Redwood Empire has faced and the progress that has been made in moving forward toward a brighter future. He challenged the lodge to keep an open mind and continue their great tradition of being in the vanguard of leading the Redwood Empire Council forward. Lodge Leadership Development Seminar & Lodge Executive Board Meeting Officers are encouraged to attend. In a great turn out, only 3 Officers could not attend. The LLD was followed by our first Lodge Executive Board Meeting of the year. Plans for the March Fellowship, NOAC Patch, and OA Troop Elections were all discussed With the loss of Mow-A-Toc Chapter to the Crater Lake Council we also approved to roll over our Cabrosha Chapter Officers into the Orca Lodge Positions. Our new Lodge Officers are: Lodge Chief, Duncan Hatch; Lodge Vice Chief, Chas Christianson; Lodge Secretary, Drew Davison. Lodge Treasurer is vacant. All in all, it was a great event and many a tear was shed as we said our final good-byes to our Brothers in Mow-A-Toc Chapter.
ORIGINS OF THE OA SONG EVAN SKANKALIS Story Editor On March 15, 1917 Tsar Nicholas II of Russia was forced to resign from the throne in favor of his younger brother, Michael, passing over his own son Alexie, 13 years old. By 1917 Russia had been at war with Germany for over three years and was facing signs of distress in its military and discontent among its people. The Russian-Tsarist national anthem, God Save the Tsar had as its theme an old Russian folktune that has been used by several composers over the years, most famously in Tschaikovsky s Marche Slav and 1812 Overture. The Tsar s family and retainers were moved by the provisional government under Kerensky from Petrograd to safe-keeping at Tsarskoe- Selo, a royal palace with a military guard. Some weeks later they were moved by a guard of Red Russians to Yekaterinburg, deeper in Russia, where the royal family, servants and, guards were sent to the Ipatiev House. On July 17, 1918 the entire royal family including attending doctors and servants were assassinated by orders from Lenin, now in charge of the Red Russian government. King George V of England, a cousin of the Tsar, requested that the battleship HMS Marlborough be sent to the loyalist held Crimea in the Black Sea to rescue over 2,000 remaining members of the Romanov family. The British prime minister granted the request and on April 8, 1919 the ship left the port while for the last time the band at the dock played the national anthem, God Save The Tsar. Urner Goodman, reading about this in the local papers, realized he now had a tune that he could use for the Wimachtendienk. We believe he introduced the new words and music to the first meeting of the nine existing lodges in 1921 at the assembly of the Grand Lodge and since then it has been sung to close Ordeals, Conclaves and National Conferences. Editor s Note: Rarely do we have the opportunity to hear about history from the ones who experienced; it is a privilege when we do. This article featured Del Loder, most recent recipient of the OA s Lifetime Achievement Award, who is one of the Arrowmen who experienced much of the history of the OA in the West and has spent his life studying the early history of the OA. Evan Skankalis of T Kope Kwiskwis Lodge heard Del recount the history of the OA song. The National Bulletin encourages Arrowman to seek out those who experienced the history of the OA, whether locally or nationally, and capture that history. We also welcome submissions that would be of broad interest to Arrowmen. Origins of the OA Song reprinted from the OA National Bulletin Page 3 National Leadership Seminar (NLS) By SAMUEL BELLOMY Western Region Training Chairman The Order of the Arrow is proud to provide Arrowmen, both youth and advisers alike, with the highest level of leadership training in our organization, the National Leadership Seminar! The National Leadership Seminar is a weekend course hosted by each region three to four times a year. Between 40 and 80 participants are divided up at tables, led by top-notch trainers and staff from lodges across the nation. Each session is designed to create an interactive classroom setting, with hands-on activities and practical application of the leadership skills developed over the weekend-long course. The trainers are experienced and hand selected by each region s leadership to drive the program and messages home with the participants. Among these trainers are one of the national youth officers, the region chief, section chiefs, other section officers, rising lodge leaders, and dedicated adult staff members from the national, region, and section levels. The program does not end at the conclusion of the course. It is taken home in the form of a leadership contract to complete based on the lessons learned over the weekend. Scouts and Scouters take home leadership skills and resources to better the programs they are involved in. Do not miss the opportunity to experience the National Leadership Seminar! Contact your lodge leadership or go to your region s website for the 2012 calendar of NLS events and register for the best training weekend ever! In fact coming next fall on November 9-11 the NLS will be held at Coast Guard Island, Alameda, CA. Make plans now to attend. You do not want to miss it!
Honor & Dates: Order of the Arrow O R C A L O D G E 2 0 1 2 A n n u a l R e g i s t r a t i o n Date BSA Rgstr No. Ordeal Brotherhood Vigil Vigil Name Name Address City State Zip Offices, Awards and Notes English Translation Unit No. Date of Birth Phone BusPhone Fax ReR ed w ooo od E mpp i r e C ounn c i l, N o o.. 411 E-Mail Dues Collected By At: Talent Release Form Event Code 2371 I hereby assign and grant to the Boy Scouts of America the right and permission to use and publish the photographs/film/video tapes/electronic representations and/or sound recordings made of me this date by the Boy Scouts of America, and I hereby release the Boy Scouts of America from any and all liability from such use and publication. I hereby authorize the reproduction, sale, copyright, exhibit, broadcast, electronic storage and/or distribution of said photographs/film/video tapes/electronic representations and/or sound recordings without limitation at the discretion of the Boy Scouts of America and I specifically waive any right to any compensation I may have for any of the foregoing. o Yes o No I understand that, if any information I/we have provided is found to be inaccurate, it may limit and/or eliminate the opportunity for participation in any event or activity. Participants Name: Participants Signature: Parent/guardian s Signature: Date: Important - Make and keep a copy for yourself before returning Dues are $15 per member Checks payable to: BSA/Orca Lodge #194 Completed forms should be mailed to Orca Lodge Dues Redwood Empire Council 1000 Apollo Way, Suite 106 Santa Rosa, CA 95407-5442 Page 4 (if under the age of 18)
Camp Masonite Navarro Work Party ~ April 13-15 Who: All Scouts, Scouters and/or Troops, Packs, Crews, Teams, Father/Mother and Son are all invited. Scouters with special skills are much appreciated. When: Friday evening thru Sunday morning, April 13-15, 2012; check-in 7:30 PM Where: Camp Masonite Navarro, on Highway 128 near Navarro, Ca. Why: To improve our Council s camp and get camp ready for the summer Cost: $20 per person covers lodging and food Sponsored By: Orca Lodge, Order of the Arrow and the Redwood Empire Council Any questions please call Mike Bell @ 527-6282 or e-mail mikebell055@comcast.net **Please plan on bringing a copy of your Annual Health and Medical Record with parts A & B completed. April Workparty Registration Form--Cut and Mail Today Mail this form with your check payable to BSA/Orca Lodge #194, and marked April Workparty CMN Redwood Empire Council/Orca Lodge #194 Boy Scouts of America 1000 Apollo Way, Suite 106 Santa Rosa, CA 95407 Are you a member of the Order of the Arrow? Yes / No Name: Phone: Please list additional particpants on back or separate sheet and Address: City: indicate youth or Adult. Zip Code Telephone Email Cost: $20 per person Total amount enclosed: $ Page 5 EVENT CODE #2371
2012 Ordeal Elections A Prime Opportunity The spring is upon us once again, which can only mean one thing elections are upon us once again. This year elections are more important than they have been in several years. Our lodge has recently decreased in size with the transfer of the north to Oregon, which makes this year an especially important time to recruit new arrowmen. My Ordeal was in June 1969 at Camp Navarro (Masonite wasn t added until a few years later). I was very excited and honored to be there, and unlike today, when most Scouts have been to Navarro 3-5 times as a Cub Scout, then a few more as a Boy Scout, I didn t have a lot of experience in Camp...yet. I remember working on the Firebowl, silence and scant food. My ordeal was so large that ceremonies took place in two shifts of about 60 each! That night it seemed like 500 were packed into the ceremony site...and I didn t know anyone. By Sunday morning I had met several Scouts from Petaluma, which seem far away and exotic to me (I lived in Ukiah at the time...okay, stop the snickering). Those early acquaintances turned into life long friendships, that I treasure to this very day. Like you, I learned of the joys of service and friendship, so it is only right for us all to share these joys with as many of our fellow Scouts as possible. Unfortunately, we are only able to show people the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service if they are members of the Order. And the first step is election. We must focus on elections this year. Our election and new member retainment numbers have left much to be desired for a many years now. I ask each of you to commit to helping perform as many elections as possible. Reach out and don t let this opportunity pass, make it your personal goal to allow as many of your fellow Scouts to have the opportunity to pass the Ordeal and see what the Order of the Arrow has to offer. Yours in Service, Bruce Mayfield Council Commissioner, REC The title card to the OA Election Video. Make it your personal goal to help with an election at least once this year. Page 6 Veteran Luncheon Flags It was a cool clear morning much like and of the past 12 years. Orca Lodge was once again at the Santa Rosa Veterans Building setting up flags out front for the yearly Veterans Lunch sponsored by the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. The lodge starts placing flags at 6:30 AM and it usually takes about an hour, which is early enough so the youth can get to school and the adults can get to work (on time!). This year s OA crew consisted of Terri Forrest, Jack France, Jason Kracht, Mike Bell, Keith Schoenthal, Greg Forrest, and Tim Slater. For our time and effort, $250 was donated to the Lodge for our help with the flags. Next year we will be out there again. Remember, all it takes to help is the willingness to show-up (and a screwdriver does come in handy). This is perhaps one of the quickest and easiest ways to show your respect and honor for our Veterans and country at the same time. Plan now to join us next year! NOAC Patch Designs The lodge is looking for patch designs for the 2012 NOAC. Patch designs may consist of the single pocket flap or a two piece patch. The selection of the patch design will take place in March Lodge Leadership. Submit your patch designs now.
A Message from the 2011 And, more importantly, the reason why I won t focus on National Chief describing the details of my first NOAC is because none of that would accurately express the emotional joy of the event. The reason a NOAC is great is not because you spend your week doing certain activities. Conferences are incredible because they allow you to be a part of a group of thousands of Arrowmen that collectively embody our cheerful brotherhood. For me, NOAC is an event where even something as silly as encountering a man in a bear suit walking around the Michigan State at night becomes a moment that you ll remember for the rest of your life. Find out what NOAC is for you. I promise, you won t be disappointed. Yours in Service Jonathan Hillis 2011 National Chief S ee that guy in the middle of the picture? That s me, circa 2006. I have been trying for over a month to think of a way to describe the NOAC experience to Arrowmen that have never been to one before, and I finally realized there would be no way for me to convey the feeling of a National OA Conference in words. 2006 Orca lodge Contingent with Spartacus Orca Lodge Members, Our Lodge has a rich tradition of sending a small but hearty and fun loving group to every NOAC. Many of our members work on Staff and return time after time. Once you attend, you see why everyone raves about NOAC. I could vividly describe the moment I stepped into the arena for the opening show of my first NOAC--the vibrant energy that filled the air as thousands of Arrowmen of all ages and from across our nation shared a kind of ecstatic camaraderie that I have experienced in few other settings. I could talk about how the classes I attended about OA ceremonies inspired me to become the ceremonies chairman of my lodge, my first real leadership position in the Order. I could focus on the new friends I met, the patches I traded, or the frisbee games I played. But my NOAC experience would be irrelevant to you, because your NOAC experience will invariably be different. That s the incredible thing about a National OA Conference--there is such a cornucopia of activity that one person could not possibly do everything. Everyone s NOAC is both an individual experience and a collective experience. It is not to late to get in on the fun... but it will be soon. Contact Mike Bell at 527.6282, <mikebell055@ comcast.net> TODAY! ORCA SPOUTS Official Publication of the Orca Lodge #194, Order of the Arrow, Redwood Empire Council, Boy Scouts of America Publications Adviser ~ Bruce Mayfield Orca Spouts is a quarterly publication. We will email all four issues, two of which will be mailed out. We welcome all submissions, both articles as well as photographs. Sending articles and digital photos via email is highly encouraged. All photos welcomed. The deadline for submissions for the next edition is Sun., April 8th. Send articles and photos to: Bruce Mayfield (415) 479-4003, agreeone@pacbell.net Page 7
Redwood Empire Council, Inc. Boy Scouts of America 1000 Apollo Way, Suite 106 Santa Rosa, CA 95407 Orca Lodge #194 Dates to Remember... Mar 8 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Mar 10 Section W3N COC Conclave Planning Meeting Apr 12 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Apr 13-15 OA Sponsored/Council wide work party, CMN Apr 27-29 Section W3S Conclave / Fresno, Chaffee Zoo May 10 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 May 12 Section W3N COC Conclave Planning Meeting June 14 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 June 15-17 Lodge Spring Ordeal/Camp Masonite Navarro July 12 Lodge Executive Board Meeting/CMN Concurrent with the Council Board of Directors Meeting July 30 - Aug 4 2012 NOAC / Michigan State U - East Lansing, MI Aug 9 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Aug 11 Section W3N COC Meeting/On Site Camp Marin Sierra Sept 13 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Sept 14-16 Section W3N Conclave / Camp Marin Sierra Oct 11 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Oct 12-14 OA Sponsored/Council wide work party, CMN Oct 26-28 Lodge Fall Ordeal/Camp Masonite Navarro Nov 8 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Nov 9-11 NLS/NLATS, Coast Guard Island, Alameda, CA Nov 17 Annual Lodge Dinner and Excecutive Board Meeting Dec 13 Cabrosha Chapter Meeting/Santa Rosa Scout Office 7:00 Dec 15-16 Vigil Dinner and Ceremonies / CMN Page 8 Officer Phone and E-mail List Lodge Chief... Duncan Hatch...578-1982 chief@orca194.org Lodge Vice-Chief... Chas Christianson...545-1827 vicechief@orca194.org Lodge Secretary... Drew Davison...843-4685 secretary@orca194.org Lodge Treasurer... Open... treasurer@orca194.org Lodge Adviser... Mike Bell...527-6282 adviser@orca194.org Associate Lodge Adviser... Jason Kracht...566-6810 woapalanne@sbcglobal.net Associate Lodge Adviser... Keith Schoenthal...795-3099 cabroshaadviser@orca194.org Lodge Staff Adviser... Danielle Ing...546-8137 scoutexecutive@redwoodbsa.org Ceremony Adv... Patrick O Neill...490-2703 ssj3goggita@gmail.com Lodgemaster information...records@orca194.org Lodge Email... orca@orca194.org Council Web Site... www.redwoodbsa.org/ Council Offices...Santa Rosa...546-8137 I NEED A RIDE!... rides@orca194.org