Friday, July 30 - Sunday, August 1, Mitigwa Lodge will once again hold Wapello Work Weekend to help with improvements at Camp Wapello. While Mid-Iowa Council no longer offers summer camp at Camp Wapello, the Order of the Arrow has a long tradition of service towards this facility and we want to help where we can. There will be a Brotherhood ceremony Saturday night, and for all Ordeal members from Fall Fellowship 2009, this is your first chance to seal your membership in our order. That way you can completely enjoy Fall Fellowship and be proud to wear your bars the entire weekend. You can do your work day towards Brotherhood as long as you're at camp, ready to work by 8:00 am on Saturday.
The event will run from Friday evening with a cracker barrel through Sunday breakfast. The cost for the event is $12 and if you want to complete your Brotherhood, there is an additional $15 fee for the sash. The lodge will be bringing some trading post items, so bring your money to get the items you don't already have.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact Ron Repp at rdrepp@iowatelecom.net.
With hot and humid weather here, and the final week of Camp Mitigwa nearing, it is finally time for Fall Fellowship. This year’s Fall Fellowship is going to be fantastic, and takes place from Friday August 20th through Sunday August 22nd at Camp Mitigwa. On Friday night there will be an optional rib-eye steak dinner from 6-7:30 pm and it will cost $9.
We invite all those elected who haven't completed their Ordeal, to attend Fall Fellowship and complete it. There will also be a opportunity for Ordeal members that completed their Ordeal at or before the 2009 Fall Fellowship to get their Brotherhood. You can complete your work day, if you need to, by arriving at camp by 8:00 am Saturday. There will be rifle shooting, an Order of the Arrow Trading Post, and many other activities to help bind us in fellowship. The Ordeal Candidates will have their ceremonies before supper and the Brotherhood Candidates will have their ceremonies after supper on Saturday. On Sunday we have our annual Mitigwa Lodge business meeting including the elections of Lodge officers. The Vigil callout will take place during the weekend as well.
Please bring your personal gear, including a tent, your Class A uniform, OA sash, and other personal gear. The cost of this event is $24 a person before August 15th. After that, the cost raises to $30. This fee covers food for the weekend, as well as your 2011 dues. You can register for this event online at www.bsa-ia.org or you can mail in the registration form on the backside of this issue of the Arrowman Insider.
Hope to see you there!!!
We're still working on adding events, so check back here often to see what a great event this will be.
7:00 AM Breakfast & Chapter Elections @ Dining Hall 8:30 AM Chapel 8:45 AM Cleanup ( see Chapter Chiefs or Adviser for instructions) 9:15 AM Vigil Meeting (current Vigil Honor members only) 9:30 AM Vigil Callout @ Amphitheater 10:00 AM Annual Lodge Business Meeting @ Scoutcraft Area 11:30 AM Encampment and Summit Corps Informational Meeting
Registration for Existing OA members (except those new Ordeal Members from Camp Mitigwa)
If you were an Arrowman prior to Summer Camp 2010 at Camp Mitigwa, then this is the area for you to register. If you are eligible to advance to Brotherhood, please consider doing so at this event. There will be a Brotherhood ceremony on Friday night for those of you that have done your work day. That way, you can wear your bars all weekend. A link to the Brotherhood letter is below so you can see exactly what has to be done and if you are eligible for Brotherhood. A link is also provided to the Brotherhood Scorecard you will need to turn in.
Chances are that this is at least your second OA event and you should have an idea of what's going on. If you're planning on completing your Brotherhood, great. Just remember to bring your Brotherhood Scorecard, and the letter outlined in your Order fo the Arrow Handbook. Ir you can't make it Friday night, keep in mind that as long as you're at camp, registered, and ready to go at 8:00 AM on Saturday you can complete your work day.
Registration for New Ordeal Members from Camp Mitigwa
The fee that you already paid for your Ordeal ($55) covered event registration for either Fall Fellowship or Spring Conclave, your sash and materials, and your 2011 OA dues. Please plan on registering for one of these events, and you will use the prepayment you have already made, so do not include an additional payment.
If you plan on attending Fall Fellowship, you need to register in this area for new Ordeal members, or mail in the information at the bottom of your letter, so we can plan for your participation. There is a $6.00 late fee if you register after August 15. After relaxing and having fun all day, you can watch the new candidates complete their Ordeal and then attend the cracker barrel in the evening. We encourage you to camp overnight and attend the annual Lodge Business Meeting on Sunday morning beginning at about 10 AM.
You will need to bring a complete uniform, your sash, camping equipment, a water bottle, personal gear, and clothes to relax in during the day on Saturday. The lodge always has a Trading Post where you can buy all types of patches, and other OA gear, so bring money to spend.
Are you glad the Ordeal is over? The worst is behind you.
Your first OA adventure begins when you arrive at the main parking lot at Camp Mitigwa. You can arrive any time you want (if you register for the Ribeye Steak Fry - eat by 7:30 when the steak fry ends). Register at the New Ordeal from Summer Camp sign. You will be camping in a camp site and will find out which one when you register. Although we're at camp, you are responsible for carrying all of your gear to and from the camp site. It's easier if you can arrange to share a tent with some friends to spread the load. If you want to come up on Saturday because of football, marching band, etc., that's fine. The weekend's yours.
If you arrive Friday night, go to one of the Pre-Ordeal ceremonies to better understand what you experienced at summer camp. There is no way to grasp all of the meaning of the various ceremonies in one setting. Then come back to the dining hall for a wonderful cracker barrel.
Saturday is your chance to enjoy the various activities. Please refer to the above schedule for all of the things to do. Make new friends and meet old friends from summer camp. This even is about fellowship. You saw all of the cool Mitigwa Lodge merchandise in the trading post at summer camp. Make sure you bring enough money to buy what you want. Saturday afternoon, go to one of the Ordeal ceremonies and support members of your own unit or friends that are going through the ceremony. The evening is taken up with Ordeal orientation (which you can attend again if you have any questions) and the Brotherhood ceremonies. Everyone will enjoy the cracker barell.
Sunday you will take part in chapter elections for your chapter (Broken Arrow, Bo Qui, Golden Eagle, Hawk Eye, Raccoon River Valley, or TAMAHA). The officers you elect will guide your chapter for the next year. Then we celebrate the 12th point of the Scout Law with a non-denominational chapel. The Vigil Callout is the highlight of the morning where older members that have gone above and beyond are recognized by the lodge by calling them out in an impressive ceremony. The final portion of the event is the lodge annual business meeting where reports are given and elections are held for the lodge officers that will guide the lodge for the next year.
Come enjoy the weekend and help select the leaders that will lead your chapter and lodge. If not you - who?
Registration for Ordeal Candidates who haven't completed thier Ordeal
If you plan on attending Fall Fellowship, you need to register in this area, or mail in the information at the bottom of your letter, so we can plan for your participation. There is a $6.00 late fee if you register after August 15.
You should plan on bringing the following items for the weekend: a full Scout uniform, water bottle, sleeping bag, ground cloth, work clothes, boots, gloves, and a tent for Saturday night only. If you intend to complete your Ordeal you need to arrive on Friday night. You can arrive any time between 5:30 PM and 8:00PM. Following the completion of your Ordeal, you will participate in an Ordeal ceremony late afternoon on Saturday and then be treated to a feast Saturday evening. While you are free to leave camp after about 9PM, we encourage you to camp overnight and attend the annual Lodge Business Meeting on Sunday morning beginning at about 10 AM. If you leave prior to the orientation session on Saturday evening, you will have to make arrangements to go through it at a later date.
Your first OA adventure begins when you arrive at the main parking lot at Camp Mitigwa. You will need to arrive early enough to register at the New Ordeal sign, set up your tent, and if you register for the Ribeye Steak Fry - eat by 7:30 when the steak fry ends. You will be camping in a camp site and will find out which one when you register. Although we're at camp, you are responsible for carrying all of your gear to and from the camp site. It's easier if you can arrange to share a tent with some friends to spread the load.
You need to be at the Ordeal Candidate meeting at 8:00 in full uniform. At that point you will be given instructions about what is going to happen during your Ordeal, where you need to go next, what you need to bring, etc. Please pay attention because we don't want you getting lost before you begin. Friday night you will go through the Pre-Ordeal ceremony and sleep under the stars.
Saturday you will be allowed to go back to your tent and change into work clothes and then the fun begins. You will be assigned various maintenance and enhancement projects around beautiful Camp Mitigwa to enhance it for future campers. Please take your Ordeal to heart. The more you put into it and adhere to the guidelines you will be given, the more you will get out it. Saturday afternoon, you will be given time to go back to your tent and clean up and get back into Class A uniform. Please pay attention to where you are supposed to go and when you're supposed to be there.
You will go through the Ordeal Ceremony that has very few changes since it started in 1915. Millions of other scouts and scouters have gone through the same ceremony, so pay attention. After the ceremony ends, you are an Ordeal member in the Order of the Arrow and Mitigwa Lodge. Wear your sash proudly. Go to the dining hall and have a great dinner.
After dinner you will be instructed where to go for your Ordeal orientation where you will receive a packet of material, your first Mitigwa Lodge patch, and your membership card. Stop by the trading post and check out the cool Mitigwa Lodge merchandise you can now purchase. Then try to stay awake for the cracker barrel in the dining hall.
Sunday you will take part in chapter elections for your chapter (Broken Arrow, Bo Qui, Golden Eagle, Hawk Eye, Raccoon River Valley, or TAMAHA). The officers you elect will guide your chapter for the next year. Then we celebrate the 12th point of the Scout Law with a non-denominational chapel. The Vigil Callout is the highlight of the morning where older members that have gone above and beyond are recognized by the lodge by calling them out in an impressive ceremony. You will learn more about this at the event. The final portion of the event is the lodge annual business meeting where reports are given and elections are held for the lodge officers that will guide the lodge for the next year.
Sound overwhelming? There are plenty of Arrowmen that are glad to help you along the way. Just ask. A scout is friendly.
Changes in Camp Mitigwa Order of Arrow Ordeal Policy
This letter was sent from Lodge Adviser Dave Meisinger to all Scoutmasters in the Mid Iowa Council and is presented here for everyone to view:
Dear Scoutmaster-
We will again see some exciting changes in the Order of the Arrow (OA) for this summer. As you have probably heard, we will be putting the entire Ordeal process for Arrowmen candidates back into the summer camp program with a few changes. This is approved on a trial basis. As was the case last year, the call out ceremony will be held on Thursday night (parents’ night) at Camp Mitigwa. Immediately following call out, the Lodge Chief will meet with the new candidates and explain to them that they have a choice of either doing their entire Ordeal beginning that night or at either the OA Fall Fellowship in August of 2010 or the OA Spring Conclave in May of 2011. For adults who are called out, they must have additional two-deep leadership with their troop to be able to do the Ordeal process at summer camp. Otherwise, they will be restricted to doing the Ordeal at one of the events. For those electing to go through their Ordeal at summer camp, they will begin the process immediately after collecting their belongings from their campsite. The Ordeal ceremonies will be held late on Friday afternoon for any Arrowmen wishing to watch. Following the Ordeal ceremony, the new Arrowmen will be recognized at dinner in front of all of that week’s campers in Blank Dining Lodge. For those troops going out of council this summer, elected OA candidates are permitted to come up to Mitigwa during any of the five weeks of camp to participate in the calling out ceremony. However, they will NOT be permitted to take part in any Ordeal process at summer camp. In fact, any boy wishing to participate in the Ordeal process at summer camp must be a registered camper at summer camp and must be in attendance throughout the full week of camp. The alternative is to participate in the Ordeal process at either Fall Fellowship or Spring Conclave. The dates of those two events are as follows: Fall Fellowship August 20-22, 2010 Spring Conclave May 13-15, 2011 For those going out of council who want to take advantage of having your Scouts or Scouters participate in the call out ceremony, please email Mitigwa Chief, Andy DeBoard at mitigwachief@gmail.com to let him know of your intentions, the names of the candidates and the week of camp for which you want to have your candidates called out. A form for this purpose can be found on the OA website: www.bsa-ia.org If you have any boys or adults interested in working on trail crew this summer to help pay for their camping fee, go to the form also on the OA website for more information and for an application. The cost to newly elected OA candidates is $50 whether they elect to do their Ordeal at summer camp or at one of the OA events in the fall or spring. This will be payable either at summer camp or at the event. We are very excited about the opportunity to have the Ordeal back in summer camp for the example it offers all Scouts attending camp. We are dedicated to providing a meaningful, high quality and safe experience for the new Arrowmen hoping to join our Brotherhood. If you have any questions about any of this or about anything having to do with the Order of the Arrow, please feel free to email me at drdave@iastate.edu or call me on my cell at (515) 975-3557. Yours in cheerful service,
David Meisinger Adviser, Mitigwa Lodge
Attention Units Going Out of Council for Summer Camp
This form was inadvertently left out of your Elections and Promotions packet. If you want your members elected to the Order of the Arrow called out as part of your summer camp experience, this form needs to be filled out, signed by your Scoutmaster, and returned with a copy of your election form. Please do not send the original form in case of mail problems.
You will need to present this to the camp staff person in charge of the Order of the Arrow functions at the out of council camp in order for them to include you in their call out. Some camps may ask you to complete your Ordeal at their camp, but this is not allowed by National Order of the Arrow Rules (Operations Update "05-5", issued May, 2005.) Members are only allowed to complete their Ordeal in the Lodge they were elected in.
Please check with your summer camp before attending to ensure they actually offer a call out ceremony. Not all camps do this. If your camp doesn't offer this service, you can still have your call out done at Camp Mitigwa on a regular Parents Night. Contact Andy DeBoard for more information and scheduling.
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