Where might you meet a fellow Arrowman?

In early 1976 the OA National Bulletin reported that co-founder of the Order of the Arrow Dr. E. Urner Goodman and his wife were struck by a car while visiting in Sarasota, FL. Dr. Goodman received numerous cuts and bruises, but both were recovering nicely at home in Penney Farms, FL.

The considerate leaders of Chanco Lodge sent a get well note to Dr. Goodman, wishing him a speedy recovery. The ever-thoughtful Dr. Goodman responded with a thank you message which was published in the June, 1976 edition of the Chanco Courier and is pictured above. Can you imagine the excitement of the surgeon when he discovered that his patient was the famous founder of the Order of the Arrow?

Wahunsenakah 2010 Summer Service patch

The metal flap issued at the Wahunsenakah Summer Service weekend distracted me from posting about the activity patch issued for that event. I realized this when I consulted my friend William Weeks in East Texas about the unique varieties of ducks featured on Wahunsenakah Lodge's five 2010 activity patches.

William says the duck on this patch is an American black duck.

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.

1972 Area III-C Pow Wow Booklet

Kecoughtan Lodge hosted their first Area Pow Wow in 1972, the year that the Lodge was celebrating their 20th anniversary. For decades I have always thought that the numeral "20" in the Pow Wow patch design represented this.

Recently Ben Vincent provided me with a PDF copy of the 1972 Area III-C Pow Wow booklet. Among other insights, I learned that the "20" on the patch actually represents the 20th Area III-C Pow Wow.

One of my favorite parts of the booklet is this part of the greeting letter signed by Alan Spaulding, the youth coordinator of the Pow Wow, Walter Deal, the adult advisor, Sam Fairchild, 463 Chief, and Bailey Tudder, the Lodge Advisor:

"It is truly a privilege for the Brothers of Kecoughtan to serve as hosts for the 1972 Pow Wow. Arrowmen from all parts of the Peninsula have spent many hours in service to prepare for this weekend. If it is a success, then those dedicated Arrowmen deserve much credit. If there is some aspect that does not appear to be a success, then assume it to be a new experience."

Another favorite part the booklet for me is the illustrated front and back cover that pictures an oak tree with the Pow Wow emblem superimposed. Hidden in the leaves is the name of the illustrator: Dave Tudder, youngest son of the Lodge Advisor. I am sorry to report that Dave passed away a few years ago according to his brother John, so I was unable to share my appreciation for his efforts with him.

Take a few moments to read the booklet and enjoy a trip back to Peninsula Scout Reservation in 1972 when Kecoughtan Lodge was deservedly proud of being a National Standard Lodge.

Tracing Virginia OA Area and Section history

Recently I decided to undertake a complete audit and rewrite of the pages I have on my site devoted to the emblems and memorabilia issued at the events held by the regional Area and Sections that Virginia OA Lodges have belonged to. These pages have always been a challenge to complete because there is no comprehensive reference like the OA Blue Book to rely on. Plus, events that happened decades ago are difficult to research because the documents they were chronicled in (newsletters and lodge meeting notes) aren't available online or in the public library.

Sadly, this is a project I wish I had started many years ago. An African proverb says "When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground." The deaths of Si Simons and John Hannabass in 2008 took two of Virginia's greatest Arrowmen, each with over half a century of cheerful service. I can't delay my efforts to excavate and preserve the history of the Order of the Arrow in Virginia since so much of that history is unwritten and stored only in memories.

I am extremely grateful that I already have eager and helpful assistance from several others who share my deep interest and dedication to this subject. Step 1 is to catalog all of the events like Pow Wows, Conclaves, Indian Seminars, and Training Conferences with their dates, locations, and host lodge. Step 2 is to determine every pocket patch, neckerchief, Vigil totem, jacket patch, etc. issued for each event, and by the Area and Section.

While this effort began as an attempt to create a comprehensive emblem reference guide I will be the first to admit that "scope creep" has already taken over.  I've decided that a dry catalog of issues isn't enough to convey the rich tradition and heritage built throughout the nearly six decades of service by Virginia Arrowmen for their councils, camps, and communities.  So I will try to include pictures, stories, anecdotes, and newsletter accounts of the events so that the Arrowmen of 2011 and later will have an opportunity to learn about and appreciate those who came before and gave so much.

I'll be logging my progress on this site. If you'd like to help, just let me know! I'd be grateful for any assistance you can provide. You can be certain your efforts will receive proper attribution as well as my eternal thanks.