Merry Christmas from kecoughtan.com

Merry Christmas and best wishes for warm, safe, and peaceful holidays from kecoughtan.com

The patch above is from the first Christmas banquet I attended as a Kecoughtan arrowman. As I recall the patch was designed by Lodge Chief Andy Hess. There was a mug for the event, too. Although I didn't know it at the time, this was the very first Kecoughtan Christmas banquet patch. The only other items issued for a Christmas banquet prior to this were a neckerchief slide for the banquet in 1967 and a coffee mug in 1969.

Check out the article I wrote about the banquet and the awesome pictures by Gary McSmith in the March, 1974 edition of the Kecoughtan Kryer. Andy is wearing the patch above in one of the pictures, and you can even spot a picture of me with much more hair than I have now!

My sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to help document the history, emblems, and traditions of Kecoughtan, Chanco, and Wahunsenakah Lodges and the Order of the Arrow in Virginia.

Cloth version of Wahunsenakah metal flap issued

On December 4 Wahunsenakah Lodge 333 held their 15th annual Christmas Banquet. The event was held at Chestnut United Methodist Church in Newport News and featured State Senator John Miller as guest speaker along with a performance by the Lodge dance team, a video review of the year, recognition of all past Chiefs and Advisors, special award presentations, and introduction of the 2010 Vigil Honor candidates (see program for details).

A new lodge flap patch with an interesting history was available for sale at the Banquet. Earlier this year the Lodge issued a metal flap designed by Lodge Insignia Design Committee Adviser Dr. Barry Green to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the BSA.

When the original order arrived from the manufacturer the design was correct but the media was not. The flaps were cloth patches, not metal. The emblems were reordered, and the Lodge decided to sell the 300 cloth versions at the Christmas Banquet. According to Wahunsenakah Lodge member Dewitt Holland each Arrowman was allowed to purchase one prior to dinner, and at the end of the evening program the remainder were sold, with none remaining afterwards.

I would like to applaud the Lodge for making these items available to the Lodge members attending the banquet and making sure each attendee had an opportunity to purchase one. In far too many cases where error items are returned to the manufacturer they somehow find their way onto the market and become high priced rarities providing big profits to a select few while the Lodge realizes zero financial gain.

Not to mention that it's a beautiful design that renders exceptionally well in thread!