OAImages Blog

(Edit 4/2/08: Remember what day this was initially posted on. Please read the following with that in mind and react accordingly!)
A few years ago the BSA and the OA ended their practice of officially assigning lodge numbers. Official records were no longer to use these historical lodge numbers. On the national level, lodges are now known by the council’s number when a number is needed for record keeping purposes.

It’s since been realized that names are a bigger problem for the folks in Texas. While some could remember which lodge numbers belonged to which councils no one could easily remember which lodge names applied to which councils. It’s even harder when the names are spoken over the telephone and not written. In addition, the BSA also wants to stress that the OA lodge is an integral part in the councils’ operations. So, effective January 1st, 2009, lodge are to be known simply as (name of their council) Lodge and always with “BSA” added to the end. This stresses the lodge’s place in the council and within the BSA and emphasizes the OA is not a separate program unto its own.

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Shortly after posting last night about the recent BSA Southern Region reorganization, I received word from someone who wishes to remain anonymous that the Northeastern region is also to be reorganized, effective July 1st, 2008.

The map of the region showing the new area boundaries is at the top of the post. Click it to see a larger version.

The rest of this message lists the lodges of this region by current OA section showing what BSA area they will be part of under the reorganization. As with the Southern Region reorganization post, I need to stress that this is not necessarily how the OA sections will be organized. While sections follow area boundaries, in so much as lodges must be in the same BSA area to be in the same OA section, they may also be a subdivision of an area.

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Rick Obermeyer sent word to patch-l that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has once again reorganized the Areas of the Southern Region.     All but two of the areas have seen changes in their composition.  These changes are to take effect in 2009.

While Order of the Arrow sections do not formally exist within the BSA’s organizational hierarchy, they either follow area boundaries or are subdivisions of the areas.   The rest of this post is my analysis of how this will affect the OA sections in the Southern Region.

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On My Honor (Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts are Worth Fighting For) , by Rick Perry, is a new book about the Boy Scouts of America and the struggle the author believes it faces as an organization today.

Perhaps I’m behind the curve but I first read about this book today.   Based upon the synopsis and reviews there is an obvious political agenda behind this book.   I would not look to it for an unbiased history of the BSA.   There is defnitely a political viewpoint being sold here.   I expect those who do not share this political viewpoint will be frustrated by this book.

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No, the Boy Scouts of America is not a paramilitary organization!   In fact BSA rules expressly prohibit the use of camoflauge and other military types of clothing.  Rather, this post is about a patch issued for a joint function held by three southern lodges that I thought was rather clever.

Caddo 149 and Comanche 254 from Louisiana combined with Abooikpaagun 399 from Arkansas recently to hold a joint fellowship weekend.   This is intended to be an annual event with hosting duties to rotate between the three lodges.   In addition to the lodges’ totems, this year’s patch features a pun of sorts based upon their names.

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Brad Hutto has been doing his best to keep me busy with South Carolina issues lately.  If only folks in the other 49 states were as eager to keep my busy.   Thanks.

Muscogee lodge recently issued a flap in honor of their lodge brother, Mason Thomas, who was elected the Order of the Arrow’s (OA) 2008 Southern Region Chief.  

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Brad Hutto recently sent me images of three new chapter issues from Skyuka lodge.   There is one each from Cherokee, Union, and York chapters.

The Cherokee Chapter item is the first patch issued by this chapter known to me.   The patch, pictured, is in the shape of a square with the upper right corner rounded off.

Union Chapter has previously issued three arrowheads and two round chapter activity patches.   They break new ground with their first triangular patch.   The classic design features the lodge’s totem on a black background with a white rolled edge border.  BSA is in black above the chapter name.  It is very difficult to see on the image.

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The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has announced the winner of its 100th anniversary logo contest.   Congratulations to Philip Goolkasian of Troop 223, Sequoia Council.  His winning logo is pictured here.

Further information about the logo contest and the winning entry can be found on the BSA’s website.

A while ago I was talking with a friend of mine about travel plans. We both want to take a vacation next year. He wants to go the UK and since I’ve been twice we started talking about itineraries and how I would be his travel guide. I’ll write more about this later if we decide to go.

He then makes an off-handed comment about how he’d like to visit a World Jamboree. He’s been to two national jamborees and in fact that’s where we first met (back in 1981). He then asked if there was a World Jamboree anytime soon or near. Well! I had just the answer or him: Great Britain… 2007.

It seems visiting the World Jamboree next year will be quite a bit different for those of us from the US who are used to relatively unfettered and unrestricted access to the site. See http://www.wsj.scouting2007.org/english/dayvisitors/ for details.

Day visitors are required to purchase a ticket which costs £20.00 for adults and £15.00 for those under 14. Also visitors are restricted to only one day of visiting. You cannot visit the camp sites. You cannot visit on the days of the opening and closing ceremonies.

This is very different from the BSA’s National Jamboree. There the days of the opening and closing ceremonies are the biggest days for visitors. Visitors are also free to go about the whole Jamboree site.

Keep this all in mind if you plan to visit the World Jamboree next year! Don’t get caught by surprise by the restrictions and remember… “Be Prepared!”.