Impotant Info On March COC -- March 17-18
(from Ken Hager, Section Chief)
Best wishes to everyone as they begin 2006. Now that the Christmas Season is over, we can once again get on task for planning our Conclave. Last month I attended the National Planning Conference for the OA in Texas. I have a lot of info for all of you from that meeting. Also last week, we held a Section Officers meeting in Mt. Pleasant where the section officers and advisers meet to talk about the next COC along with other items. This is to inform you of all these events.
First off, if your lodge has recently elected new officers or assigned new Conclave chairpersons, please send me their contact information. For effective communications, this is imperative. Our communication for the re-schedule of the COC was good, but not as good as it should have been. We were able to contact some, but not others. Sending me a listing of all the contact for your lodge’s COC members would enable me to get them to the people who need them (OJ for the newsletter, Jon for training, me for updates, etc…). Thank you for your help.
If your lodge was unable to make it to the past COCs, of if you have misplaced them, contact me to have the Planbook or either the December or September Workbooks send to your home.
Don’t forget you can visit the section web-site for all kinds of information you would need including dates and such.
Our next COC is March 17-18 at Camp Potomac. This is the last COC before Conclave. At that point, we should be almost completely ready to put on an awesome Conclave. A few important things need to be brought to the meeting.
First, the actual number of slots you want for Conclave. The December Workbook has an estimated amount that you preferably won’t change drastically by March. This enables Camp Potomac to place your lodge in the best campsite possible and for them to find out how much food to by and how dinning arrangements must be made.
Next, designs for the patch. The patch must be chosen no later than March so that they will be ready for June. Please bring a design so that we may vote on it. Guidelines for the patch design can be found in the September/December Workbooks. Addit ionally, if you have any designs for the new section back patch or other items you would like to buy bring those as well.
Furthermore, you should be clearing up you lodge’s responsibility. One thing I learned in Texas is that we are one of a few sections that break up responsibilities among all the lodges. I however feel that this is the most effective way, but it depends on one thing: Your planning of the responsibility. Your responsibility and suggestions can be found in the Planbook if you haven’t started planning already. Many lodges have asked for volunteers from other lodges for judges, etc… Don’t let your fellows down. Be prepared to offer a full description and preview of your responsibilities at the COC.
Besides the things you need at the COC, several things need accomplished before the COC. A lot of this rests in the hands of the officers, but we need your help.
First, OJ would like to see an article from each lodge for the Informer. The date for Informer articles to be submitted is February 12. The next date is May 7. This gives you ample time to prepare for these small, one paragraph articles. Just let us know what going on in your lodge. Did you have a weekend recently? Did you elect new officers? Were your awarded the Quality Lodge? These are just a few suggestions to include in your article.
Next, Jon needs each lodge to submit a listing of all your trainers who will be leading a training cell at Conclave. He asks for a name, email address, and a brief description of each cell. If your lodge did not choose training cells at the December COC, take a look at the listing in either Workbook and let him know what your lodge would like to do. If you would like additional cells, also direct that information to him.
If you complete these small items, our section will feel a whole lot better! And on that note…
Congratulations! Our section has achieved Quality Section for this term. A lot of the requirements for this depended upon you, our seven lodges. You guys did great, and I commend you on your work. A small number of Quality Section p atches were ordered and should be available at the March COC. Cost is $4.
Some notes from Texas:
I have boat loads full of info for NOAC and the 2008 Service Project “Arrow Core 5”. If your lodge did not receive your reservation form for NOAC yet, let me know or print one off line from the OA website. You can link to it off of our section website www.ne4b.org. I will be serving on the Shows Staff, and if anyone else would like to serve on staff, fill out an application from the website.
WE NEED EACH LODGE TO SEND DELEGATES TO NOAC! I have already committed to each lodge bring delegates to NOAC because I know you guys can do it. We have space for 10,000+ at NOAC so bring everyone. If your lodge is having problems with transportation, the section is putting a small plan together. A packet will be handed out at the COC that I am working on right now. This packet will contain everything our section will need to know to work as a team at NOAC. Out of all the other section chief I have met, we have the closest bonds.
Arrow Core 5 looks a lot cooler than I had anticipated. At the COC, you will receive a small packet of info on this project.
National would like to see our section increase participation in High Adventure Staff. In the last 4 years, our section has sent only 0.84% to High Adventure bases. Promote this within your lodges!!
I would like us to Focus on Conclave during these up coming months. Gentlemen, we are quite on our way to not only a successful Conclave, but an awesome Conclave. Thank you and good luck!
Kenneth Hager
Anaschitan Achpa'mi
NE-4B Section Chief
724-439-3029
kenhager@oa6.org