Lodges across the country provide outstanding leadership in service to their communities, camps, and councils. The service that lodges provide sometimes take unusual forms or develop from unique situations. Consider following in the footsteps of these lodges and never hesitate to see an opportunity to serve!
- Timuquan Lodge, West Central Florida Council, Largo, Florida. This lodge, which maintains approximately 425 members, helped build a Habitat for Humanity house and spread mulch at a local park.
- Tonkawa Lodge, Capitol Area Council, Austin, Texas. The area surrounding Tonkawa, a lodge with more than 1400 members, suffered from forest fires in the spring, summer, and fall of 2011. The lodge undertook a project that lasted for several weeks. It collected canned goods, sundries, household items, and clothing for families affected by the fires. The lodge filled twenty flat-bed trailers with items and donated them to the Red Cross.
- Tatanka Lodge, Buffalo Trail Council, Midland, Texas. The area near Tatanka Lodge has also suffered from fires. A fire damaged 8,000 acres of the 9,000 acre Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch. During the fire, nearly 4.5 miles of plastic waterlines were damaged, as were nine water tanks. This was essential infrastructure to provide water to the back country. Tatanka members laid 500 feet of galvanized pipe, much of which was placed by helicopter due to the rough terrain.
- Karankawa Lodge, South Texas Council, Corpus Christi, Texas. After the health department ordered the South Texas Council to demolish twelve outhouses used at Camp Karankawa, the lodge stepped in. Arrowmen demolished the outhouses, offering over 1,000 hours of service. In addition to the service, the lodge, which has around 300 members, provided competitions for Arrowmen and also offered fun activities to keep the participants entertained.
- Octoraro Lodge, Chester County Council, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Octoraro Lodge, with about 800 members, formed a trail crew. Working with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, the lodge obtained a grant for supplies and helped renovate Goat Hill State Park. The crew’s work has benefited other groups including the National Lands Trust and Nature Conservatory.
- Nawakwa Lodge, Heart of Virginia Council, Richmond, Virginia. Each December, Nawakwa assists with logistics to facilitate the Richmond Nativity Pageant. The pageant is an eighty-year-old tradition and requires the lodge to support with set up, break down, crowd control, and moving scenery. Participating in this way has been provided the lodge with public exposure.
How does your lodge serve others? Tell us at @email.