New Year Thoughts
January 14, 2009
Hello, my fellow arrowmen. The new year brings us more opportunities for fellowship, fun and service to Scouting.
Goals
Our Chief has set two overriding goals for this year. First of all, he had told me that he wants to be a Quality Lodge. Not just for the recognition, but because he believe that Achewon Nimat is a quality lodge, and that we can achieve this if we all work together.
Second he wants to continue to inject fun and fellowship into all lodge activities. He has some exciting ideas, which he has asked me to assist with. Some of these will be discussed at the Chiefs, meeting. One idea was an overnight fellowship, pizza feed, video and collectable card game event at the YLTC (council office) in San Leandro. Our Staff adviser Mr Richard Tolman has given the OK, so now it is up to the Chief’s Council to plan this event. Stay tuned!
Membership
Last year we reregisterd with 303 arrowmen in our lodge. A large number of arrowmen were dropped from the rolls as they had not reregisterd, so we now only have 185 members. We expect more to be dropped once we get the list from National concerning those arrowmen who failed to register with their Troop, Team or District. In addition, we only had 9 Ordeal members seal their membership by choosing to become Brotherhood members. In order to make quality lodge, we need 30% of those Ordeal members who are eligible for Brotherhood to seal their membership in the order by undertaking the Brotherhood Honor.
Your Village Advisers and Chiefs will be provided with lists of those who were dropped, those eligible for Brotherhood, and contact for each unit in your district. The Lodge Chief and Secretary will be working closely with each village to ensure that all units that want an election can have one, and that all candidates are assisted and encouraged to join our order.
I would ask each of you to look around your unit and identify those youth and adult arrowmen who wear the flap, but who have not paid their dues. The forms are available on the Lodge Website, and can be mailed into council. We do not require any service beyond that already being given to an Arrowman’s home unit, but we can use help from all Arrowmen in the various service projects throughout the year.
Service
We will continue to have many opportunities to serve our Council, but I would also like to encourage each village to develop local service projects to assist the troops, teams and districts you are a part of.
This can be assisting Cub Scout Packs in backyard camping, or overnights. To let the district camping committees know you are available to assist in district activities, and to assist new or struggling troops to learn camping and leadership skills.
Conclave
We will be hosting the first Section W3-South conclave at Camp Royaneh, September 25-27, 2009. Each village will be in given responsibility for one or more aspects of ensuring that Achewon Nimat is the best host lodge and puts on a great Conclave. Your village and lodge officers will be asking each Arrowman to step up and have a fun time making our lodge shine.
Service Grant
Last year, our lodge was the receipient of a National Service Grant. This is a tremendous honor, as only nine grants were given among the 300+ lodges in the nation. The grant is to create a trail at least a mile long that can be used by novice to expert mountain bikers, horseback riders, and hikers. In addition the Lodge will use part of the grant to purchase two new quality mountain bikes that can withstand the heavy use of summer camp.
Our Chiefs will be planning when and how we will implement this trail, as well as what fundraisers we can undertake to assist in the final cost.
NOAC
NOAC is coming. The conference is from August 1-6, 2009, but our contingent will be leaving earlier. More details will be available soon..
For those Arrowmen who are going to NOAC this summer, a NOAC Conferenceships application has been put together. The guidelines and process can be found on the Lodge Website.
If you are interested in attending please contact the NOAC adviser, Mr Bill Parker as soon as possible to put a deposit down, or to submit a conferenceship application.