Summer Update

Saturday August 9, 2008 8:00 am PDT

During the month of July, members of the Spe-Le-Yai Lodge of the Verdugo Hills Council participated in one of the five ArrowCorps5 sites. On July 12th, Lodge members traveled to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest to repair or replace over-used trails. Members had to backpack into the back country with our personal equipment and our trail building equipment and tools. We were in the backcountry for five days. We were joined in this effort by over 600 OA members from all over the country. If you would like to see what we did, watch below.

here is also another video that you should view that shows members from the OA meeting with the President of the United State and California Governor, who were viewing the damage from the fires in the area. The president presented the OA members the National Volunteer Award for our work in the local forest.

At our August 21st Meeting, we will be silk-screening OA tee-shirts. Each shirt cost $10 and can be part of your class "B" uniform for OA activities. We are also trying to set up a community service project during the month of August. If you have a suggested service project, please call Steve Barrow at 818-384 -8924.

The Lodge will be manning an information table at the Council Kick-off on September 13th and we will also be preparing hotdogs for all the participants.

On September 20th at 6:00 PM, we will hold Brotherhood interviews and ceremony at Camp Verdugo Oaks. If you are an Ordeal Member and wish to seal your membership as a Brotherhood Member, you will need to read the requirements in the OA Handbook that you received at your Ordeal. Please address your letter to Justin P., Lodge Secretary and send it to Tony Enterante, Verdugo Hills Council, 1325 Grandview Ave., Glendale, CA 91201. If you have any questions, please call Ross Arnold, Lodge Adviser at 323-605-2740.

In October, Lodge members will be assisting with the Camp-o-ree and manning a trading post. We will also be conducting a call-out for new members. The following weekend, the Lodge will again be cooking for the Cub-Haunt at CVO. At the last Cub-on we feed over 500 people from the little CVO kitchen. Following the Cub-Haunt, we will return to CVO the following weekend for the fall Service/Ordeal Weekend. Finally, in October, we will begin the process of electing our 2009 Lodge Officers by opening nominations at our Lodge Meeting. The elections will be conducted at our November Meeting and the Officers will be installed at our annual Lodge Dinner, December 6th.

Lodge Picnic

Wednesday June 18, 2008 6:30 pm PDT

Join us for a Lodge Picnic on Thursday June, 19 2008 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.

$5.00 for food and fellowship. The picnic will be located at 10929 Odell Ave. Sunland, CA 91040.

Google Map ^™

Spe-Le-Yai Lodge is off to Another Great Start

Sunday April 20, 2008 7:08 pm PST

In February, the Lodge held its annual Vigil Dinner and conducted a Vigil Induction for two of its members, Carol Olen and Manuel Sibrian. Also in February, members of the Tribe of Tahquitz attended our Lodge Meeting to encourage our members to start a Dance Team. In March, the Lodge participated in the W4A Conclave at Forest Lawn Scout Reservation. We were in charge of providing the sports activities, which was very challenging given the low temperature. At the Conclave our former Lodge Chief Manuel Sibrian was elected Section Vice-Chief. We had 20 of our members register for this annual activity. Next year our Lodge is the host lodge in March of 2009. In late April, the Lodge supported outdoor program by providing service at the Cub Scout Rocket Academy at CVO. Not only was one of our members the chair of this event, David Potter, but we also manned the Kitchen, worked in the Trading Post, and ran the campfire program. We also provided an Arrow of Light Ceremony during the campfire. The following weekend the Lodge held its annual Spring Service Weekend and Ordeal. We provided a great deal of service to CVO and inducted over 20 new members into our Lodge. Because Spe-Le-Yai is the host lodge for the next Conclave, we will be hosting all the Section Meetings for the coming year. The first Section Meeting will be held at the Council Office the first Saturday in June and will include a tour of our Council’s Scout Museum.

During the summer of 2008, six of our members will be participating in ArrowCorp⁵. The Order of the Arrow has had a long-standing interest in coordinating a national service project, utilizing the infrastructure and leadership established over many years of success at the Boy Scouts of America's high adventure bases. Working closely together, the United States Forest Service and the OA have chosen five project sites, spread across America that will be the focus of our combined efforts. ArrowCorps ⁵ (pronounced Arrow Corps Five) will provide an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for each participant to set an example of leadership in service to those who treasure our national forests. Our lodge members will travel to Shasta-Trinity National Forest the second week of July. The ArrowCorps⁵ Shasta-Trinity National Forest Project (ASTP) is located in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest an hour drive through 60 miles of magnificent country side north of Redding, California. The California/Oregon border is another 60 miles north. Interstate 5 (I5), a major north-south highway, bisects the project into east and west sections, with the city of Mt. Shasta, at an elevation of about 3600 feet, being at about the center of the entire project elements. The ASTP consists of several elements of work on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), feeder trails to the PCT, illegal dump site clean-up, and fuel reduction. The purpose of the project is to provide much needed assistance to the National Forest with trail maintenance and clean-up that otherwise would not be done. The projects will require a range of abilities that should be sufficient to provide all participants with a satisfying experience, while rendering a service to the forest and future visitors. We will be making a stop in Sacramento to visit the state capital and other historic sites and the following day drive up to Shasta for our orientation and distribution to our various work sites on the trail.

In Memory of Mike Vacca

Monday December 3, 2007 9:36 pm PDT

Mike Vacca, a beloved member of our lodge passed away on Friday November 30, 2007.

December 7, 1961 – November 30, 2007

Mike joined our lodge as an Ordeal member in May 1977 at Stetson Creek Ranch an old VHC scout camp. He became brotherhood in May 1978 in the same area. Mike served the lodge for many years and received the Vigil in 1998. His name is Wakanchinye, which is translated as "Holy Elder Brother" from the Lakota (Western Sioux) language.

Mike also earned the Song of the Coyote award, and the Founders' award for his continued dedicated service.

Mike was an active member of the Ceremonies team as a youth and adult, he served as a Lodge advisor, and a member of the Coyote Singers and Dance team as an adult.

Mike completed his Woodbadge and was a proud beaver

Mike's scouting career began when he joined cub scout pack 315 in 1969. He then graduated into Troop 315 where he earned his Life badge. Mike was "Life for Life" he spent many years helping other scouts earn their Eagle Awards.

As an assistant Scoutmaster and committee member, his primary activities were, assisting Scouts in getting their Eagle Award, coordinating the Ad-Altare Dei Scouting religious award program in the troop, and being the primary instructor for the First Aid merit Badge, particularly significant as shortly after earning the award, one of his young students saved the life of an infant relative.

Funeral Arrangements

Rosary

Friday December 14, 2007
10:00 am 9:00 am
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
10321 Tujunga Canyon Blvd.
Tujunga, CA 91042-1821
Google Map™

Funeral

Friday December 14, 2007
10:30 am 9:30 am
Directly following the Rosary at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Interment

San Fernando Mission Cemetery
11160 Stranwood Avenue
Mission Hills, CA 91345
(818) 361-7387
Google Map™

Mike wished to cremated. In lieu of Flowers Mike's family are asking for donations to a Boy Scout Scholarship Fund.

Mike, you will be missed.

2008 Registration is due

Thursday November 29, 2007 10:12 pm PST

Its time to register once again. Please register with the lodge using the form below.

Download the registration form.