Ittawamba Leaves

Every year at Winter Banquet, awards are given out to some amazing arrowmen as well as Chapters that exemplify what it means to be a part of our Order. Here are the award recipients for 2011.

Founder's Award Recipients

Leonard VanDyke (A)

Clint Beilke (Y)

Individual Awards

Excellence in Ceremonies- Jake SnyderExceptional Service to the Lodge (Youth)- Seth Underhill Exceptional Service to the Lodge (Adult)- Mike IrickUnsung Arrowmen- Dylan West Chapter Awards

Outstanding Service to Scouting-  Shiloh Chapter

Highest Brotherhood Conversion- Okeena Chapter

Most Improved Chapter- Gunaxin Chapter

Outstanding Service to the Lodge- Iron Horse Chapter

Vigil Honor Members

Nick Varnick (Y)

Doulgas Burgess (Y)

Jacob White (Y)

Ryan Burlesci (Y)

John Varnick (A)

Doug Burgess (A)

Mike Snyder (A)

Ferron Thompson (A)

Left to Right: Ferron Thompson, Nick Varnick, Ryan Burlesci, Jacob White, Douglas and Doug Burgess, John Varnick, Mike Snyder

2012 Lodge Officers Sworn In

At the 2012 Winter Banquet, which was held at Northside United Methodist Church in Jackson, TN, on January 7, the 2011 Lodge Chief gave an inspirational, though delayed, Lodge Chief farewell address where he spoke about the many successes of Ittawamba Lodge #235 in the 2011 year and gave a heartfelt thanks to those who made the year a success as well as those who helped him during his tenure as Lodge Chief.

Also at Winter Banquet we had as the guest speaker, Dwayne Fontennette, the 2011 Southern Region Chief who gave an amazing speech about the importance of setting your goals high and striving to achieve them for the right reasons.

In 2012 Ittawamba Lodge Chief Nick Varnick's Incoming Lodge Chief address, he explained how the new system called "Journey to Excellence" will work in our Lodge as well as it's correlation with the Unit, District, and Council level "Journey to Excellence".

He also spoke about how honored he is to be serving Ittawamba Lodge as Chief for 2012 and his vision for the Lodge

There are a lot of people who came together to make the Winter Banquet one of the best of it's time. Some of those people include, but are not limited to: Dwayne Fontenette (Guest Speaker); Daniel Proffitt (Vigil Ceremony, Table Decorations); Adam Pace (Sound System, Vigil Night); Joe Craven (Vigil Night, Awards, Script); Jim Cheatham (Vigil Night, Awards, Script, Special Presentations); Shane Lynch and Jeremy Fair (Trading Post, Silent Auction); Ryan Burlesci and Douglas Burgess (Registration); Northside United Methodist (Facility); Northside Market and Catering (Caterer); and so many more! 

With gas prices on the rise and travel expenses going up each week, it would be almost unbearable for our lodge members to attend the 2012 National Order of the Arrow Conference at Michigan State University- However, our lodge has come up with a solution for YOU.

As most of you know, the lodge flap is a huge fund raiser for our lodge and helps us pay for many of our events. This year we have dedicated a special limited edition of 150fundraiser flaps to help offset the transportation costs for NOAC 2012. Our preliminary plans are to split the bus cost with another local lodge, similar to the 2009 NOAC. For just $20, you can have this new and limited flap. Some of you reading this may think that $20 is a little pricey, but this is truly a winner for everybody! If you purchase this limited flap, you will be one of the few members to have a “truly complete” collection of the 2011 Ittawamba Lodge Flaps; while you are also helping the NOAC contingent grow since more members can attend if the costs are lower.

So make sure you come get this Limited Edition Lodge Flap at the Lodges’ next function; because if you wait, they will be gone!

YOUR HELP NEEDED!!!

Today is the day!

Please read the email below sent from Rick Ribble, Camp and Property Management Chair, regarding the storm damage at Camp Mack Morris. You can see the pictures at the bottom of this Entry.

Prior to last night, the camp has been damaged by storms that has plagued West TN for several weeks; rain and then high winds. In fact, the camp ranger is still cutting trees downed from those storms several weeks ago as he also has been preparing for ordeals and start of summer camp next week as the staff arrives.

That was before we had tents up in each camp site. The ranger and I talked again this morning and he followed that with some pictures (see attached) that tell of additional damage and this time to tents, more trees, and some platform damage again!!

I am writing to ask if you could possible spend some time on Saturday to help with making platform repairs as needed, replace damaged tents with those from stock, and re-setup many tents across the camp which are down due to the high winds again last night.

Robbie has worked all day to cut the newly downed trees into log lengths and fire wood lengths in campsites. Help is also needed to stack this fire wood in each campsite and to move the brush as needed into the woods around each campsite.

The staff will arrive on Sunday to begin Staff Week and camper arrive the week after that. With the water front finally at summer pool after the flooding the Ranger needs to focus on dock repair and setting out program area supplies in order that staff can setup each of these areas prior to start of camp.

If you can help, please respond back so I know how many can come. Of course, youth can help with the stacking and can assist to setup the tents again that are down.

I do understand this is a holiday weekend but this is our camp and I know each of you want it to be great when your troop arrives. Please consider donating some time this Saturday to help.

I plan to be at camp tomorrow and Saturday. If we can get 15 - 20 people on Saturday we can move a long way to fixing these issues and take a huge load off the ranger this close to that start of camp.

In Service To Scouting,

Rick- Antelopese494@aol.com