Pow Wow!!!
Greetings, fellow wearers of the Arrow!
We hope this message finds you well and that each of you and all of yours had a great summer.
Our annual Pow Wow event is now approximately three weeks away. This event is important for a number of reasons. It is a time to focus on the fellowship aspect of our Lodge and purpose of our Order. We will gather to share time together in training, fun and games, as well as prepare to elect new youth leadership for Mowogo Lodge and our Chapters. Pow Wow offers us a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year and enjoy the excitement and enthusiasm of new leadership for the coming year.
Mowogo Lodge has emerged from the public health concern that still grips our new normal in very strong form. Our youth leadership took on the challenge of creating a first for Mowogo Lodge by holding a successful Induction-only event that was touted and shared with our brothers and sisters nationally as an example for other lodges. We are proud to have our newest members join our fold and prepare to take their place in the future of our lodge in service and leadership. Two of our own were elected at the 2021 Section Conclave to serve and lead our Section for this year and represent our lodge. Our youth leadership produced a successful Pre-Camp Fellowship and Mowogo Lodge provided its unmatched and well-known service to prepare Rainey Mountain for what was a successful summer camp program for thousands of Scouts and Scouters. And we learned some things that shine a bright light on the potential for our lodge to contribute and lead even more in our service and support of the summer camp program.
Due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic, we did not prepare for Chapters to offer their members to serve as Docents for the Museum at Rainey Mountain this summer. We first opened the museum in 2019 and each Chapter selected a week they would open and guide campers through the Museum and enjoy the collection and work of so many to maintain our heritage and history. Those that enjoyed the museum in 2019 shared much enthusiasm and desire for the museum to be open this summer. In an act of service and leadership that has become his example for us all over the past half a century, Vigil Honor Brother Lane Bridges stepped in to open the museum for the remaining weeks of summer camp. Vigil Honor Brother and Lodge Memorabilia Adviser Kevin Jones also stepped in and opened the museum during the week his troop was at Rainey Mountain. Thank you both. This demand was unexpected but very much welcomed! The museum serves a great purpose and many of our members have given much of their time, personal resources, and personal collections to support this program. We look forward to growing the museum and sharing our history of Scouting.
In early August, Mowogo Lodge was represented at a National Council of Chiefs gather at the Philmont Scout Ranch. The purpose of this gathering was to share current issues and goals for how the Order of the Arrow will move forward in the coming years. It was informative and revealing to share this time with leaders of our Order from around our nation as well as representatives from beyond our shores and borders. Mowogo Lodge appears to well prepared to move forward and succeed in our purpose.
As evidence, AGG Chapter hosted the “Indian Summer” event at Camp Rotary a couple of weeks ago after a year hiatus in 2020. Thank you for your service and leadership in getting this event back up and running. I have no doubt it will grow in the coming years.
I would also like to thank our lodge leaders that participated in and facilitated the Section “ACT” Conference held this past Saturday at Camp Thunder in the Flint River Council, BSA and hosted by Ini-to Lodge. The ACT (“Adapt, Collaborate, Thrive”) Conference is a Section offering to support lodges within the Section with training and ideas to grow our membership and opportunities for leadership for our youth members.
As you can see, much has been happening and Mowogo Lodge continues to blaze a path for the future. As we prepare for that future, I would encourage all of our youth that feel that they can offer their service and leadership to Mowogo Lodge and the Northeast Georgia Council, BSA to consider running for an elected lodge office. Please find the attached “Lodge Officer Expectations” and “Letter of Intent to run for Lodge Office” forms to learn more about what means and what it takes to serve as a lodge officer for Mowogo Lodge. Please note the deadline (Tuesday, September 14, by either email or postal service) for submitting both of these documents completed and signed to me. The Order of the Arrow offers a very unique opportunity to experience leadership that has a lasting impact on our lodge, our council, and on those individuals that commit to serve and lead in a formal leadership role. Lodge Officer elections will take place on Sunday morning of Pow Wow which will allow all candidates to campaign and share their vision for the coming year for Mowogo Lodge with our membership.
The 2022 NOAC (National Order of the Arrow Conference) will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee at the University of Tennessee next summer…only a few hours away! Our Contingent Leader, Brotherhood member Jacob McGahee, and our Contingent Adviser, Vigil Honor Candidate Howard Chalmers, have been planning a great trip. Our Lodge Chief has shared his vision for taking as many of our members as we can. You can learn more about NOAC and participate in the planning for a very memorable experience with members of our Order from around the country at Pow Wow!
Serving as Lodge Adviser has provided me a very special and deeply rewarding way to serve Scouting. My career as a youth in the program was more than formative and those memories of my experiences continue to serve and support me. However, serving as an adult adviser and seeing youth experience leadership, seeing them challenge themselves to be problem solvers and inspire others to greater service has been amazing. Mowogo Lodge and the Northeast Georgia Council, BSA continues to produce outstanding youth that take on these leadership opportunities and impact our world. Thank you. I look forward to seeing who will take up the mantle, pick up our flag, and move Mowogo Lodge forward in the coming year.
If you haven’t registered for Pow Wow, please do so. It will be held at Rainey Mountain on September 17-19. You can check with your Chapter leadership for any details for preparing for the event. If you completed your Ordeal this past March at our Spring Induction Event, you are eligible and I encourage you to seal membership in our lodge and the Order by participating in one of the Brotherhood ceremonies being offered at Pow Wow!
As always, thank you for what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do for our lodge, our council, Scouting, and all those you encounter in the world. You make a difference. It is what being a Scout is about. It is what the Arrow you wear stands for…
“…to be unselfish in the service and devotion to the welfare of others…”
I look forward to seeing you at Pow Wow!
Yours in Cheerfulness,
Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA