Troop News

In continuing to monitor the weather, we've decided, based on the potential for rain all the way through Saturday, to go ahead and cancel the the trip for this weekend...we will reschedule it in the future with the PLC.

It is not necessary to bring his pack tonight (Thursday March 26th).
There will be a PLC (patrol leaders meeting) as usual on Monday at 7:00 PM and a Troop Committee meeting at 8:00 PM to plan for April.

Our Nunne-Hi Chapter of the Order of the Arrow will have its regular monthly meeting tonight (Thursday, March 26) at the Scout Hut of the Briarwood Presbyterian Church off of the Acton Road exit. Usual snacks (Cracker barrel) will be provided with the program consisting of an introduction/demonstration to Competitive Indian Dancing as we saw last weekend at the OA American Indian Seminar. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM tonight and and lasts for about an hour and a half.

The American Indian Seminar started Friday evening with a Cracker Barrel for all the attendees followed Saturday with a big breakfast and then breaking into a choice of classes for one and one half hour durations all day long....there were more classes than ever offered with instructors coming in from GA and TN. There were about 300 Scouts and leaders in attendance) Some of these classes included all forms of competitive Indian dancing, ceremonial American Indian customs and traditions, classes on Native American culture, basic and advanced handicrafts crafts such a bead work, necklace construction, patch trading, dance shield construction, bracelet and bandoleer construction, as well as Conclave and NOAC planning.

This year's Conclave (meeting of all the districts) will be held at Camp Comer during the weekend of 17-19 April and will have about 900 Arrow men (nine lodges) in attendance from our District inclusive of GA and TN. The Conclave starts with the cracker barrel Friday night and continues with individual and team competition throughout the day. Competition includes a number of athletic events and pure fun contests for individuals and groups of Scouts. The evening will continue with competitive Native American dancing by the Scouts. leaders and Scouts can register to attend by going the web site Order of the Arrow GAC Lodge at: Coosa.org
This year, our own J Ng, K and J Berry, J Kunka, and P Kidd will also be going to the NOAC, National Order of the Arrow Conference, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the first week in August, to nationally compete as a ceremony team representing the Nunne-Hi chapter of the Coosa Lodge Order of the Arrow. According to Mr. Don Russell, Ceremony Counselor, and Ceremonies Advisor of the Coosa Lodge, the team has the best chance of placing that he has ever seen and is looking forward to their ranking high and placing this year. This is quite an accomplishment and says a great deal about the hard work and dedication these Scouts have made to make this possible.

Everyone in the Troop who wears a OA flap is welcome to join us on March 28 (if not rained out) and April 11 for a work day at Camp Comer in preparation for the Conclave SR 9 and to enjoy the work in anticipation of the largest Conclave ever.

What is the OA...it stands of the Order of the Arrow and is regarded as the "honor Society" of Scouting...not based on academic standards, but or service to the community, brotherhood, Cheerfulness, the three principles of the Order. It takes the Scout from the Troop level to the district level, which includes all of the Troops in the Greater Alabama Council, and permits them a new experience in understanding the huge diversity, yet oneness, in Scouting that he won't find elsewhere. It's analogous to joining the service, in that he gets to meet hundreds of new faces and personalities all under the same umbrella of service, fun, and brotherhood, not to mention opportunities for membership in our local Chapter and leadership opportunity in making it work. The Order also has different weeks set aside for service in areas such as Washington, Colorado, and Yellowstone National Park system to perform service in place of summer camp for the scout.

A Scout should plan on becoming an OA member, if elected by the members of the Troop, along with earning his Eagle, and should participate in the Order to continue building his network and taking an opportunity for leadership not found is such quantity or quality elsewhere....that's exactly why the rank of Eagle is almost a prerequisite in getting accepted into a service academy..or why the Eagle rank and OA membership lubricates career tracks for those who know its significance.

Finally.....We welcomed four WEBELOS and three new Scouts from their cross over on March 23. We should have a total of about eight new Scouts entering the Troop this year and will have first orientation on April 6th at 5:30 PM before the regular meeting at 7 PM. They will be accompanying the Troop on our April Trip to Camp Sequoyah for shooting sports with Dr. Frank Nelson and Mr. Bill Benifield. That weekend will also serve as the new Scout camp out.

And..as recommended by the PLC in the last meeting, we will be converting/combining the Indians and Penquins patrols into the "Pendian" Patrol in order to keep better number in attendance at meetings and on trips. The changed roster along with the agenda for the May 5 Court of Honor will be posted soon as email.

Thanks for all your support.......sorry for the weather...but we will make it up.....

YiS Dan s "Delivering the Promise"