Hey Wagion,

Hope you enjoyed the April weekend, it’s always best to get back to camp. The village is well on its way, we have a great location near the old boat docks on the creek below the dam. We have been scouting timbers at Camp Tanacharison and have a lot to choose from. We will need more help at the June weekend to locate and mark trees to be removed from camp, as well as lay out the village and get started on the wayside cabin.

Yours in cheerful service,

Shane S.

With the recent success of the April Service Weekend and the excitement for the upcoming June Service Weekend, we can’t forget that there’s something huge in between: The Annual Spring Nature Walk for Cub Scouts!  Every May, the Conservation/Community Service Committee coordinates Wagion in hosting this exciting event for Cub Scouts.  This year, the Spring Nature Walk will be held on Saturday, May, 12th at Eberly Scout Reservation.

The committee already has many events and activities planned for the day, but they need YOUR HELP!!!  The committee is in need of any Arrowman who is interested in positively impacting these Cub Scouts by carrying out a day full of learning, fellowship, food, and fun!

If you are interested in helping, please contact the Conservation Committee Chairman Max Fogle (whose contact information can be found on the Spring Nature Walk Registration Form).

Photo taken from the 2006 Spring Nature Walk:

All articles for the T-Bird Times are due by Sunday April 22, 2012. Email your article to Elliott Diamond.

Greetings Wagion!

I would like to start by thanking every one of you who participated in and/or assisted in the planning of the April Service Weekend; what a weekend!  With almost 200 brothers in participation Wagion provided many combined hours of service to Camps Conestoga and Buck Run.  Wagion also had numerous competitions, tournaments, and training cells which provided every participant with a fantastic, service-filled weekend!

I could easily go on and on about how awesome it was to see the Ping Pong Tournament being played on Dining Hall tables, observing our members’ creativeness at the Cookie Decorating Competition, and skill both in activities and service, but I can sum it up with one sentence: If you missed the April Weekend; you missed out!

But don’t worry!  We’re taking our success at the April Weekend and are already preparing to have an even BETTER June Service Weekend!!!

The June Service Weekend is “traditionally” a low attended weekend.  This makes no sense to me.  The June Weekend usually has very warm weather, great activities, and most importantly a CALL FOR SERVICE.  Camps Conestoga and Buck Run are IN NEED of your service in order to prepare for the 2012 summer camping season.

While most traditions are meant to be kept, I am ready to break this one.  Are you?  Better yet, I CHALLENGE you to BREAK THIS TRADTION!

In order to make this possible you need to contact every Arrowman you know and get them to register and attend the weekend!  Whether it’s through phone calls, text messages, emails, or word of mouth – now is the time to start spreading the word.

Please also pass along to your fellow Arrowmen that the registration deadline for the June Service Weekend (June 1-3) is MONDAY, MAY 28.  This is different than the usual “Monday before” deadline.”  The reason behind the change in date is that we need to have the food order placed earlier this year.  If you register after this day you will be assessed the walk in/late fee.  So don’t wait until the last minute – registration is already open.

All you have to do is call the Council Service Center in order to be able to be a part of what is going to be a weekend packed with service, many activities, and like this past Service Weekend, great food!

Wagion, our next challenge is to have over 250 Arrowmen in camp from June 3-5.  There are a lot of people out there who don’t think we can get even close to that number for a June Service Weekend.  I want to see YOU prove them wrong!!!

Please understand how important your service is going to be in June, and attend the weekend ready to make a difference.

-Yours in Service,

Robbie Lavelle
2012 Lodge Chief

See you April 13 with a big bag of food!!!!!!!!!

Click here to view a TENTATIVE Schedule of Events for the 2012 April Service Weekend!

Please Note: Activities, times, locations, menu, etc. are all subject to change.

I’m very happy to announce the Order of the Arrow “Get Kids to Camp” program.    Through this program, the OA will provide financial assistance to units that want to send Scouts to camp but lack sufficient qualified trained leaders that are available to attend a week of summer camp.   Through this program, the OA will provide funds for up to 4 Scout leaders to attend camp without having to pay any camping fees.   Since Camps Conestoga and Buck Run already provides two free leader positions for each unit attending camp, this will mostly benefit larger troops or provisional units with special circumstances.

If your unit is currently having problems recruiting enough trained leaders to provide the required level of supervision at Camp this summer, please get in touch with your District Camping Chairperson immediately.

This program is available to both Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops.

All applications are due by April 15.

On top of great activities, food, and fellowship this April Service Weekend (April 13-15) we can’t forget about the best part of the weekend: Cheerful Service!!!

Nothing beats gathering with fellow Arrowmen from around the council and sharing fellowship while serving Camp Conestoga and Buck Run.  Below is a list of service projects that will tentatively be focused on at the April Weekend.  There will be other projects announced as they come up.  You will notice that some of the projects have a leader listed beside them.  Certain projects will require a certain number of volunteers ranging in ages and experience.  However, we will strive to have projects suited for everyone in April.  More information regarding the number and experience of volunteers needed will be posted soon.

Please bring work gloves, clothes, and cheerful spirit!

April Weekend Service Projects:

The 2012 Wagion Lodge #6 Fellowship Banquet, held Saturday, February 25 at Uniontown High School, was a great success! There were a variety of unique activities and training cells held throughout the day, including a live cooking demonstration by the Commissary committee (which included many tasty treats!), basketball and dodgeball tournaments, and a Meet-the-Man session where brothers had the chance to really get to know 2012 Northeast Region Chief Eric Bush,  Section NE-4B Chief Mark Steiner and Vice Chief Tanner Lashinsky as well as Wagion Lodge Chief Robbie Lavelle. (Eric and Mark are both from Wagion, if you weren’t aware, while Tanner hails from Allohak Menewi Lodge.)

Robbie presented a special video presentation before dinner introducing this year’s Lodge theme: “Meet the challenge”. Following dinner was a special presentation by Jessica Lazar, a Physician Assistant at Allegheny General Hospital, who discussed her trying journey to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, to raise money for research for Pulmonary Hypertension. Following her address, the 2012 recipients of the Thunderbird award were presented. The 2012 Youth Recipient was Eric Bush, while the Adult Recipient was Mary Pischko.

Congratulations to all those involved in planning and organizing the 2012 Lodge Banquet! Many Scouts and Scouters alike mentioned it was one of the best banquets they’ve ever attended! Below are a few pictures from the Banquet.

Officers answered a variety of questions during the Meet the Man session

Commissary Chairman Jesse L. demonstrates a recipe at the Commissary Training Cell

Venture Outdoors Training Session at the Banquet

Hey Wagion,  I’m Dustin C., your neckerchief chairman. I would like to remind you that I still have all the neckerchief  cards and I will pass those out next O.A weekend. Hope to see you in April!

Carry on Wagion!