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January 10th, 2010
Nisha Kittan 114: First Flap Issued
Previously I had reported of the formation of Nisha Kittan lodge, in Lewis and Clark Council, from the merger of Kishkakon 32 and Taleka 81. Thanks to Rich Dillow, I now have an image of the lodge's newly issued first flap. The lodge has decided to use 114 as a lodge number. As far as I know there are no other issues from this lodge at this time.
The design of the flap a simple portrayal of the lodge's black wolf totem, depicted baying at a full moon. It's nicely done. However some observant collectors, especially those in the Southern Plains may find this patch rather familiar looking. I have to wonder if the designer of this flap was inspired by another patch.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
October 27th, 2009
Never Assume
There is an old adage about what happens if one assumes. Randy Holden recently gave me an example of why one shouldn't assume.
A few years ago this privately made patch bearing the name and number of "Unilachtego 107". Given the history of lodge 107 and what was already published in Blue Book, and a proclivity for the recycling of some old lodge names, I assumed this was a predecessor lodge to Kon-Kon-Tu 107 that never had an authentic issue. That was where I was wrong.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 30th, 2009
The Unknown Lodges
The Unknown Lodges (Originally printed in Blue Book reprinted with permission of the American Scouting Historical Society)
by Jeff Morley and Bill Topkis
It is hard to imagine the Order of the Arrow of the early 1920s. The scouting program itself was less than 15 years old and the Boy Scouts of America was only one of several scouting organizations competing for national dominance. In those days, the program was not even called Order of the Arrow. What we now know as the OA began in 1915 as Wimactendienk W. W. and was one of several honor camper societies to form during the first decade of Scouting.
Based upon the few first-hand accounts by members who were active in the 1920s, minutes of early meetings of the Grand Lodge and the official History of the Order of the Arrow by Kenneth Davis, an amazing picture of the orders early years begins to emerge.
Scout councils began procuring their own camps in the early to mid 1920s. Before then, it was commonplace for councils to share large camp areas. Three such areas were Treasure Island on the Deleware River near Philadelphia, Lake Kawonanke, and Crystal Lake in New York. Scout encampments from many councils co-existed along the shores of the latter two locations and in the case of Kawonanke Lake, we know that well over thirty different scout councils had campgrounds there at the same time. In circumstances such as these, it is easy to see that if one council utilized a popular honor camper society, it would not be long before the idea would spread to neighboring council camps and such was the case in the early days.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 25th, 2009
Guest Editorial: On Patch Restrictions
Rick Obermeyer taught a training session on "Ethical Patch Distribution" at NOAC earlier this month. The topic of patch restrictions often arises in conversation both at NOAC and elsewhere. It is raised often enough that he included an answer to this question in his handouts. I share this here with his permission.
Q4: How do you feel about restrictions?
A4: That really isnt in the context of this session, but since we have time, Ill give you my personal opinions, if you like. I cant speak on restrictions for everybody. That would be too presumptuous. I can only talk about what works for my own lodge back home. Shall I go ahead?
How my lodge feels about restrictions is based on some premises. The first premise is that we are all brothers in the Order of the Arrow. That is, equal brothers. We all got into the OA the same way, with election by others. If we have Brotherhood membership, thats because we all individually made a personal promise to accept the challenge to cheerful service that was shown to us during the Ordeal. If we are Vigil, that is a sign given to indicate that others feel that we have done a decent job of keeping that personal promise we made to ourselves at Brotherhood.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 22nd, 2009
Patch Trading at NOAC
Now this is patch trading!
Jason Spangler, aka The Santee Swapper, took out his video camera during the evening patch trading at NOAC. Rather than showing every single patch that was out there -- an almost impossible task if I say so myself -- he wanted to capture the atmosphere of patch trading in Read Hall. The video clip is after the jump.
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
August 18th, 2009
2009 NOAC: Who Had the Most Patches?
Now that NOAC is over we can start to get a better grasp on what the lodges issued for this event. I would not be surprised if there's ultimately close to 1500 issues from the approximately 300 lodges. Keep those images coming.
Today's question: Which lodge issued the most patches for NOAC. Skyuka 270 had 14 pieces and they are not a lodge known for its large quantity of issues. Has anyone issued more?
I think there's at least 11 issues from Amangamek Wipit (not yet online) so they could be a contender with a few more patches. Wipala Wiki has been known for a large number of NOAC patches in past years, but I've not seen much from them yet.
On the other extreme: Were there any lodges in attendance that issue no patches for NOAC?
Read the Full Post on blog.oaimages.com
Archive for April, 2008
Finally, I am nearing the end of the new issues from the SR-7B Conclave.
Croatan lodge magically (?) depicted the Croatan Express on their 2008 Conclave flap. Some might say that it’s in homage to “rednecks” in the South that the lodge’s deer totem has been rendered as a railroading version of a hood ornament. This is a lodge that has previously demonstrated its ability to poke fun at itself with an odd design choice.
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"The government of the United States is a device for maintaining in perpetuity the rights of the people, with the ultimate extinction of all privileged classes."
Calvin Coolidge
Croatan lodge issued a set of five flaps recently for this Summer’s ArrowCorps5 events. Each flap depicts one of the five locations the Order of the Arrow will be working at this Summer.
I have already seen these flaps at least twice on eBay, sold as a single lot. Thanks to Greg Grimes and Roger Ward for these images.
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"Where there are no tigers, a wildcat is very self-important. "
Korean Proverb
Klahican lodge issued one of the best looking flaps I have seen in a few years from any of the North Carolina lodges. The very artful sunrise scene is similar in design to the event patch. Kudos to the patch designer and the embroiderer for such nice work.
Now, why do I call this a sunrise instead of a sunset? Well, Klahican lodge is headquartered in Wilmington, NC. In that part of the country if you are seeing the Sun over the ocean it is most likely early in the morning!
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"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."
Ronald Reagan
Roger Ward and Greg Grimes made me aware of two new patches from Wahissa lodge’s Minsi chapter when they were here at my home a few days ago. As far as I know, these are the first new pieces from this chapter in several years.
Both patches have a similar design, differing only in the color scheme. The first item, pictured here, is in full color and has a red border. The second patch is an orange monochrome version of this design.
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"My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
John F. Kennedy
Klahican lodge has joined the lodges that have abandoned their tradition of having Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil flaps in order to comply with national OA policy prohibiting such flaps.
The lodge maintained a traditional representation of the lodge totem as the core of this flap’s design. The three leaf version of the Venus fly trap from the 2006 OBV set was used with the border color changed to red mylar, a border color never used before by this lodge.
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"Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do."
James Harvey Robinson
Nayawin Rar had a surfer theme for the SR-7B conclave. Their flap for this conclave, depicting the night hawk as a “surfer dude”. This lodge usually uses a traditional or realistic depiction the nighthawk on its flap. This flap breaks with that practice.
It has been reported to me that the lodge issued 400 of these flaps, instead of the 200 issued in recent past years.
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"When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win."
Ed Macauley
“I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK. I sleep all night and I work all day…”
Tsoiotsi Tsogalii lodge adopted a lumberjack theme for last weekend’s SR-7B and was successful in winning the conclave spirit award for the first time in the lodge’s history. In keeping with recent custom, a flap was issued portraying this theme.
I only have one small nit to pick with the design. This lodge is located in the northeastern piedmont of North Carolina. The conclave was held at a camp in the flat sandy plains of southeastern North Carolina. Neither are areas known for the soaring peaks depicted on the flap. Artistic license is wonderful! 
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"Our firmest convictions are apt to be the most suspect, they mark our limitations and our bounds. Life is a petty thing unless it is moved by the indomitable urge to extend its boundaries."
Jose Ortega y Gasset
I have been spending some time cataloging a large group of patches for a friend of mine. Usually I have to shut myself in my office as my cat tends to be a little too demanding of my attention. Finally, I think he is learning he gets more attention if he leaves me alone while I’m working.
Well, this morning, he was rather interested in what I was doing. I don’t know if he wanted to “supervise” me or was just interested in all those foxes on the Pellissippi flaps spread out on the desk.
Look carefully at where he’s sitting. Does this qualify as a “cat scan”?
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"Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word."
Charles De Gaulle
Two special patches were issued last weekend at the SR-7B conclave commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Order of the Arrow in North Carolina. The section produced a jacket patch and pocket patch, both using the same basic design. The jacket patch is pictured here. Oddly enough it was issued with a pocket loop.
The patches specifically name the six lodges currently in SR-7B and most of their predecessors.
As for the two lodges that bore the number 163, notice that only Tsalagi 163. The earlier version of this name, Tslagi 163 is not mentioned. Tsalagi 163 was only a correction of the incorrectly spelled Tslagi. The lodge’s territory did not change. Tslagi and Tsalagi are considered to have been the same lodge.
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"If it were not for injustice, men would not know justice."
Heraclitus
The six lodges of eastern and central North Carolina gathered this past weekend at Camp Bowers for the 2008 SR-7B conclave. Klahican lodge acted as this year’s host. This year’s conclave also celebrated 75 years of the Order of the Arrow in North Carolina, started with the founding of Tali Taktaki 70 in 1933.
Greg Grimes and Roger Ward were at my home for dinner this evening and were able to fill me in on the many new issues that appeared at this event. In addition to the various lodge issues, the section produced several patches for this event. This post will deal with the three versions of the event patch.
I commend the brothers of Klahican lodge for designing what I think might be the most attractive conclave patch I have ever seen in North Carolina.
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"Women thrive on novelty and are easy meat for the commerce of fashion. Men prefer old pipes and torn jackets. "
Anthony Burgess
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Recent OAImages News
December 5th, 2009
A Fun Few Days
I'm sure most of you noticed the problems this site has been having over the past few days. It went offline several times. It was a frustrating experience. To add to my woes, I somehow managed to pick up some "bad stuff" on my computer at home. The last time I had this much trouble with my site, server, and home PC I was also let go from my job. Luckily that did NOT happen!
"Techie Talk" follows...
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October 4th, 2009
Blocked Emails
I have been made aware this evening of a couple of issues with email.
Hotmail is currently blocking email from some RoadRunner servers at this time. RoadRunner is my ISP and my outgoing mail, except for messages automatically generated by my server come from there. RoadRunner currently has published this notice:
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September 30th, 2009
More NOAC Images
To those who are wondering where the rest of the NOAC patches are... A large group will be uploaded to the site later today or this evening. I'm working on large groups from the 200s and 300s ranges of lodge numbers right now. Stay tuned.
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September 21st, 2009
Temporary Email Outage: Resolved
Last Friday RoadRunner started blocking email from my server because of spam without my knowledge. I had been filtering all my incoming mail at OAImages through my RoadRunner so as to filter out most of the several hundred spam messages that I get every day. RoadRunner apparently did not like that. I had no idea the server was being blocked until I saw over 800 notices that email was rejected on my server's queue last night.
This is now resolved and I am now receiving mail again, but it is coming directly (unfiltered) to me from my server, spam and all. I am currently working to block the spam.
If anyone sent me email between Friday morning (9/18) and this morning (9/21), please don't assume I received it. I probably did not see it. Please send again.
Thank you.
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August 7th, 2009
OA Blue Book Going "Web 2.0"
One of the big items of discussion at the recent pre-NOAC TOR was the fate of Blue Book. For those who don't know, the various legal issues in which this became entangled are now resolved. The new editor in chief of the Blue Book is Roy More. His desire is to maintain this resource in electronic and online forms. It has become impractical to publish this in book form as was done for the first six editions.
The goal is to create an "ever green" resource, with active input by collectors. It will be going "Web 2.0" in many respects. OAImages, will remain an integral part in this. This does not mean uncontrolled anarchy though, with lodge listings being changed at will by anyone who chooses. Roy writes:
...OA Blue Book will not become a Wikipedia. This is a standards (sic) project which means there must be structure, discipline and stability. That said, Blue Book will become much more open for all...
There are still many issues that need to be worked out. Roy More has started a blog at oabluebook.com to discuss some of the various issues that need to be resolved. There are only a few posts there now, but he plans to update this frequently. Please check this out and comment on the posts there.
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April 1st, 2009
New Policies on Patches Announced
This post covers an important change in policy that will soon become effective regarding patches issued for all Order of the Arrow lodges chartered by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Please read the whole post carefully.
At a recent meeting at the National Headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America, it was announced that a new policy will be put in place by both the Boy Scouts of America and the NationalOrder of the Arrow Committee regarding lodge patch issues. Further announcements and clarifications will be made at this Summer's National Order of the Arrow Conference and at section conclaves throughout the year. This policy will be effective September 1, 2009.
All lodge flaps, and patches issued as multiple piece sets (most commonly two-piece sets) must be ordered through BSA Supply Division, or an official BSA licensee. The national OA and the BSA has decreed that all items must be produced in a minimum quantity of 1000 (one thousand) pieces. In the case where a lodge wishes to make minor changes in design or colors, 1000 of each must be produced.
Should the lodge feel they do not need that many pieces to suit their needs, the BSA Supply Division will purchase all remainders from the manufacturer and retain them. They will be available to the lodges should more be needed. At the BSA's discretion, they will also be made available for sale in all BSA run Scout shops.
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Lodge 117: 2008 SR-7B Conclave Flap
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