This past weekend, our Lodge held virtual Winter Banquet and it was a big success! This event allowed us to celebrate the accomplishments of our fellow Lodge members over the past year and have a little fun while doing so. Throughout evening several new videos were premiered including the 2020 Lodge Year-in-Review and the Full Lodge Video. The Lodge Year-in-review can be found on the Lodge YouTube channel and the Full Lodge video can be seen on any of our social media pages. Other highlights of the event include the presentation of the Founder’s Award, some remarks from Supreme Chief of the Fire, Charles Flowers, and Lodge Chief Parker Morrissette delivering the annual State of the Lodge Address. In his address Parker spoke of the very unique year the Lodge faced and went onto say:
“Time and time again, the people of this lodge have shown their dedication and devotion to serve this lodge. It is truly incredible. I encourage anyone who is watching to get involved with the lodge. Earn your brotherhood, run for a chapter position, serve as an elangomat just get involved because you will be working with some truly great people. The strength of our Lodge is its people and I am forever grateful to everyone in Occoneechee for all that they do.”
The night concluded with the Passing of the Bonnet and the installation of the new Lodge Officers. Newly installed Lodge Chief Alberto Daniel spoke of the event saying “
A full list of award winners from the night can be found below! If you missed out on the event and would like to watch, go to the Lodge YouTube channel or click the blue button below!
First Year Arrowman
The First Year Arrowman award is awarded annually to those Arrowman who have shown hard work and dedication in their first year as a Lodge member. Congratulations to:
Kara Knudson
Michael Wallace
Mary Kelly-Crapse
William Kelly-Crapse
Seth Peters
Troop Service Award
The Troop Service Award is an award given to those Arrowmen who remain as active participants in their troops. There are eight requirements to be completed over the course of a year that includes such things as contributing service to the troop and participating in troop outings and meetings. The following scouts have completed the Troop Service Award:
– William Winslow – Jack Brewer
– Bryce Morse – Warren Itenson
– Evan Nazareth – Jonah Gilfoy
Serving the Thunderbird
The Serving the Thunderbird award recognizes those arrowmen who go the extra mile in service and commitment to our lodge in a one-year time frame. The following Arrowmen have completed the Serving the Thunderbird Award:
– Mary Hampson – John Bardin
– Parker Morrissette – Matt Breneman
– Kevin Blackwood – Jacob Labaza
– Jennifer Miller – Will Hardesty
– Alberto Daniel – Scott Sublett
104 Service Award
The 104 Service Award recognizes Arrowmen who give 104 hours or more of service to the lodge over the course of a year. These Arrowmen go above and beyond to serve our lodge. The following Arrowmen have completed the 104 Service Award:
– Bob Gamble – Matt Breneman
– Evan Nazareth – Kevin Blackwood
– Parker Morrisette – Mary Hampson
– Paul Morrissette – Jennifer Miller
– Jacob Labaza – John Bardin
– Le Green – Scott Sublett
Key Three Award
The Key Three Award is given yearly to four Arrowman within the Lodge that routinely go above and beyond the call of duty. These Arrowman have been very important to the function of our Lodge this past year, we truly could not have done it without their help! Congratulations to:
Alejandro Reyes-Arroyo
Ross Petersen
Donna Dragon
Dennis McKinney, Jr.
James E West Fellowship
The James E West Fellowship recognizes gifts to the Occoneechee Council Endowment fund in the amount of $1000 or more. The award consists of a square knot and certificate indicating the date of the award.
The Occoneechee Lodge presents one or more awards annually in the name of an outstanding Arrowmen as a token of appreciation for their support of the Order of the Arrow. The following Arrowmen were recognized as James E West Fellows this year:
Adam Martin
Austin Blackwood
Allen Hastings
Founder’s Award
Introduced at the 1981 National Order of the Arrow Conference, the Founder’s Award recognizes Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to their lodge. The award is reserved for an Arrowman who demonstrates that he or she personifies the spirit of selfless service, as advocated by founder E. Urner Goodman and cofounder Carroll A. Edson.
The Occoneechee Lodge recognized four Arrowmen as recipients of the Founders Award:
Parker Morrissette
Michael Glennon
Bill Davis
Bob Gamble
Unit of Excellence
The Order of the Arrow Unit of Excellence Award seeks to identify those units, and the leaders within them, who excel at incorporating the OA into their annual planning. The OA Unit of Excellence Award criteria recognize units that invite the lodge to conduct quality unit elections, participate in lodge events and meetings, and operate a complete OA Troop or Team Representative program. The following units have achieved the unit of excellence award:
Crew 75
Troop 444
100% Brotherhood Conversion Award
The 100% Brotherhood Conversion award recognizes units in which every member who is eligible for Brotherhood that year or earlier is a Brotherhood Member. The following units have achieved this award:
Crew 1040
Troop 942
Troop 942G
Chief’s Award
The Chief’s Award is presented annually to the Chapter that has shown the most improvement over the past year. The following Chapter has excelled greatly even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Congratulations to:
Lauchsoheen Chapter
The William Stanley Roth Award for Outstanding Chapter Service will be given each year to the outstanding Chapter which devotes the most service to the council, camps, community, and lodge. The award is given to the Chapter which accumulates the most Roth points over the course of the year. Points are awarded as chapters engage in OA activities through event participation, leadership, ordeal completion, brotherhood conversion, and the continued participation in OA service opportunities. The winner of the Roth Award is:
Netami Chapter
