Spe-Le-Yai Lodge News
2018 Spe-Le-Yai Annual Report
This past year marks the 75th anniversary of Spe-Le-Yai Lodge. Going into 2018, excitement was high for anticipated events and changes sure to come.
During our 75th anniversary year, Spe-Le-Yai took on a new face: literally. Overseen by our LEC, the Lodge rebranded itself: a new coyote head fused with the classic Spe-Le-Yai howl. The Lodge also approved a new merchandise item: a deck of playing cards with the new logo on the back. In addition to the new logo and merchandise, our communications team produced a new aesthetic website patterned after the OA Western Region. Our LEC also implemented the Lodge Service Award adapted from Malibu Lodge (a sister lodge in our section). This award enables arrowmen to receive a gold bordered lodge flap if they earn 25 points worth of service (1 per hour, 5 per weekend, 10 per week). If this was not enough already, Spe-Le-Yai’s LEC decided to host an new event for the whole council: Family Movie Night. If this event is a success this week, it is sure to be making an appearance next year.
In 2018, Spe-Le-Yai provided youth and adult staff during Rocket Academy, Haunt-On, Resident Camp, Day Camps, and Camporee. During these campouts, arrowmen staffed all areas of camp including the archery range, BB gun range, trading post, craft areas, pool, Scout craft, and kitchen. Alongside these duties, youth assisted families by helping set-up tents and other general work.
At our Spring and Fall Ordeal Weekends we inducted 4 candidates. Although this number is small compared to last year, we currently have 100% activation rate within the first month (the percent of inductees that attend their first event after joining). Lodges across the nation have the most trouble with this number. In total, at Ordeals alone, Spe-Le-Yai has dedicated nearly 250 man hours of service to improve Camp Verdugo Oaks in 2018. At these two Ordeals we had a total of 6 eligible Arrowmen seal their membership by earning Brotherhood. This year, Spe-Le-Yai gave $850 worth of supplies and donations to the council.
Over the past year, our lodge has participated in numerous service projects around our community. These have ranged from ecological projects at Deukmejian Wilderness Park, to the creation of burritos for the homeless on skid row. In addition to service in our community, Spe-Le-Yai helped beautify the council center by pulling weeds, raking leaves, and laying mulch.
The nationally revamped National Leadership Seminar (NLS) came to the Hubert Eaton Scout Reservation this year. Two members from Spe-Le-Yai, myself included, attended this training and were some of the first to go through this innovative weekend.
To close out the summer, our contingent of 8 members flew to Indiana University for National Order of the Arrow Conference 2018 (NOAC). Thousands of Arrowmen gathered at this major university for a thrilling week of training, shows, sports competitions, fellowship, and fun. We even had a member of our own lodge serve on training staff at this national event.
Later, in mid-September, arrowmen from Section W-4N gathered at Camp Three Falls for Conclave 2018: Goodman and the Goblet of Thunder. While at Conclave, the 16 arrowmen from Spe-Le-Yai enjoyed a relaxing weekend filled with trainings, sports competitions, patch auctions, fellowship with other Arrowmen, and even a rave in the famous Three Falls Fort.
This Thursday, officers will be elected to serve in 2019. These leaders will be installed to their positions on December 15th at our annual Lodge Banquet following our annual Lodge Leadership Development training. This day of training will be required for officers, and open to all other Lodge members and advisers.
As you can tell, this last year has been monumental for Spe-Le-Yai as we look to fulfilling the mission of the Order on the final leg toward our centennial year. I am pleased with the progress the lodge has made this year and hope that you can be as proud of Spe-Le-yai as I am.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brayden Armes
Spe-Le-Yai Lodge Chief 2018
July Meeting Minutes
● Galo L. called the meeting to order at 7:07 pm.
Opening Ceremony
● Those in attendance were welcomed by Galo L.
● Pledge of Allegiance and the Obligation.
Old Business
● Minutes for May 2018 meeting were read by Fox M. and approved 5-0.
The Lodge did not meet in June.
● Treasurer’s Report: Mrs. Melo reported that as of May 31, 2018 there was
$9,567.44 in the OA account.
● Service Report was given by Galo L.
○ May 19th work day — no one came.
○ Camp Allegre work day cancelled because of lack of participation.
They will reschedule after conclave with more advertising and
carpooling.
○ Fall Ordeal Trading Post Project. Galo spoke with Home Depot and
they will give a $150 donation. Steve Hendry will help Galo get the
necessary letter from Council. Once he receives the letter, Galo will
also check with Costco because he heard that they will also donate.
○ 2018 Summer Can N Dry Foods Drive 4 Homeless-Low income
Kids, Pasadena, Wed Aug 01, 2018, 01:30PM – 02:30PM, 488
N.Raymound Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
○ Wilderness Workday, Date: 07/21/2018 8:00AM – 12:00PM,
Location: Deukmejian Wilderness Park. Tasks include removal
of invasive plants, watering, weeding, and trail maintenance.
Park Tree Care, Saturday, July 28 9:00am to 12:00pm,
Location: East San Fernando Valley, Griffith Park
○ Burrito Project, Will talk at a future meeting about getting the
ingredients brought to Council office and do the preparation.
○ Monday Night Mission, 7:30pm-10pm, Los Angeles. Feed our
homeless brothers and sisters on Skid row with sandwiches we
make. Must be 15+
○ St. Francis Center-Serving Hope, Mon-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat 7am-
1pm. Relief and support to homeless and extremely low-income
individuals and families in Los Angeles. Problem seen in that it
is difficult for people to attend on weekday. We will consider a
weekend.
○ LA Kitchen, Mon-Sat 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Collect leftovers from
restaurants and create healthy meals and distribute to
underprivileged. Need a permission slip, but all ages are
welcome.
○ Homeboy Industries 5K Run, Saturday, September 22, 2018,
6am-2pm. Volunteering at the Kids Zone, assisting them with
games and handing out waters to the runners.
● Membership Report was not given since Jared T. was not in attendance.
● Ceremonies Team Update was given by Gavin C. and Dylan G. The team
had a Skype call and went over the pre-ordeal and ordeal script.
● Lodge Service Award was discussed by Gavin C. The Executive
Committee approved 50 patches. A vote was taken to approve the
Executive Committee action and to order 50 patches. The lodge approved
the purchase by a vote of 5-0.
● NOAC 2018 update given by Dylan G. NOAC will be in 10 days. Emails
were sent about the travel plans for those who did not attend the meeting.
The contingent leaves on July 29th to go to Indiana University and returns
on August 4th. Attendees should bring their own blanket, but sheets and
pillows will be provided. Check out the packing list on the NOAC website.
● Conclave 2018 update given by Gavin C. September 21-23, 2018 at Three
Falls with a Harry Potter theme. Early Sign Ups are now available until the
end of July. Brayden A. puts the information on all the Lodge emails.
● Website Update was given by Dylan G. The new website is up at
www.spe-le-yai.org. Dylan G. will see about getting a link on the VHC
website. Members can register for conclave from the website link. The
website look is similar to the section and it works on mobile.
New Business
● Section Update/COC Meeting given by Gavin C. The section work
weekend at Camp Allegre was cancelled. It will be rescheduled after
Conclave with a central carpooling system set up. No one from Spe-Le-Yai
had signed up.
● NOAC Patch information given by Fox M. The patches have arrived and
are available for $5 for NOAC attendees and $15 for everyone else. They
will also be sold in the store. Patches from the last NOAC will also be
available for $4 for NOAC attendees for trading.
● 75th Anniversary Flap Update. Since neither Brayden A. or Nathan M.
attended the meeting, we will follow-up at the next meeting.
● Fellowship Weekend update given by Dylan G. We will have a Fellowship
day at CVO. If we can get CVO at no charge from the VHC, the cost will be
$10 for food. We would have pool and a movie and food. Steve B. will see
if we can get CVO at no cost. We are looking at dates in September and
October. Mr. Nakanishi is not available in September.
● Lodge Merchandise update was given by Gavin C. Gavin stated that
playing cards with the lodge logo would be $3.39 for 250 decks. They
would be sold for $5. A deck with a plastic case would be $4.00 for 250
decks. Because so few members were in attendance, it was decided that
we would discuss at the next meeting.
● Lodge Conclave Trading Post was introduced by Gavin C. who proposed
that the lodge sell merchandise at Conclave. It costs $25 per lodge. We
would need to bring our own table, chair, and easy up. Motion to approve
this proposal was approved unanimously.
● Council Family Movie Night. No update was given because Nathan M. was
not in attendance, but we are continuing to consider.
● Winter Banquet discussion postponed until next meeting.
● JTE Check-up. Mr. Nakanishi said that we have a new JTE chart, but that
the discussion is postponed until the next meeting. We need to see where
we stand.
Closing
● Announcements, Lodge Advisor’s Minute and Song.
● Meeting was closed at 8:02 p.m.
Spe-Le-Yai March Update
Yours in Scouting,
Welcome to Spe-Le-Yai
The Order of the Arrow is recognized as ‘the National Honor Society’ of the Boy Scouts of America. The purpose of the OA, as many call it, is to:
- Recognize those who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives and through that recognition cause others to conduct themselves in a way that warrants similar recognition.
- Promote camping, responsible outdoor adventure, and environmental stewardship as essential components of every Scout’s experience, in the unit, year-round, and in summer camp.
- Develop leaders with the willingness, character, spirit and ability to advance the activities of their units, our Brotherhood, Scouting, and ultimately our nation.
- Crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.
Eligibility
These are the requirements for Order of the Arrow membership, as found in the official Order of the Arrow website.
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.
- The youth must have experienced 15 nights of Boy Scout camping while registered with a troop or team within the two years immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. Only five nights of the long-term camp may be credited toward the 15-night camping requirement. The balance of the camping (10 nights) must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps of, at most, three nights each.
- Youth must be under the age of 21, hold the BSA First Class rank or higher, and following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity team Coach, be elected by the youth members of their troop or team.
- Adults (age 21 or older) who are registered in the BSA and meet the camping requirements may be selected following nomination to the lodge adult selection committee. Adult selection is based on their ability to perform the necessary functions to help the Order fulfill its purpose and is not for recognition of service, including current or prior positions. Selected adults must be an asset to the Order because of demonstrated abilities, and must provide a positive example for the growth and development of the youth members of the lodge.
History of the Spe-Le-Yai Lodge
Spe-Le-Yai is the Shoshone word for the “Song of the Coyote.” The lodge totem is a coyote singing to the darkened sky. Spe-Le-Yai was responsible for conducting the first ordeal ceremonies for many of the early Lodges in Southern California. Including Siwinis Lodge and several of the lodges which merged to become Ta Tanka lodge.
For the history on the National Order of Arrow, visit the national website.