Brother Hugh Skelton

Greetings, Fellow Wearers of the Arrow.

We reach out to you this evening to share some sad news. Brother Hugh Skelton passed this past Monday, May 12th, at the age of 95. Brother Skelton was one of the first Lodge Chiefs for Mowogo Lodge (serving in that role in what our records show as 1947. We were blessed to have him join us for the Lodge Chiefs reunions in 2018 and 2024 (our last Pow Wow). He was an Eagle Scout from Troop 15 in the New Holland community of Gainesville. He earned around 70 merit badges and served as a Dispatch Bearer for the Office of War Information during World War 2.

Brother Hugh was a minister and continued to serve on missions for his faith up until last year. We are very grateful that he was able to be a part of the last two Lodge Chief reunions so he copul;d share his story and fellowship with all of us. Below is a picture of Hugh with the Lodge Chiefs attending the 2024 reunion.

Please keep Brother Hugh and his family in yoyur thoughts and prayers as they navigate this difficult transition. He was an excellent example of a servant leader and that greatness comes to those that seek to give rather than seeking to get. Godspeed, Brother Hugh Skelton, and thank you.

Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA

See you soon...and, Thank You!

Greetings, Fellow Wearers of the Arrow!

I hope this finds all of you well and readying yourselves for a great summer that is just around the corner. Our annual Pre-Camp Fellowship is fast approaching: May 16-18 at Rainey Mountain. We look forward to sharing fellowship with you and our Ordeal Candidates.

As I began thinking about Pre-Camp and the importance of an Ordeal and service weekend, I have been reminded that the annual National Volunteer Week 2025 is also being celebrated this week here in the United States of America. Canada celebrates this next week. And many other countries celebrate volunteers and their service on other weeks in April and May. In our country, this celebration of volunteering and volunteers began by presidential proclamation in 1974 and 2025 is the completion of a half-century of this officially proclaimed recognition.

Yes, Scouting and the importance of volunteering came immediately to mind. Creating Scouting in its many forms and programs requires the efforts of many professionals and volunteers. Our founder, Lord Baden-Powell, shared that Scouting is a game with a purpose. That central tenet guides the work of all those that create the game for the youth we all serve. I do not believe that any professional Scouter would disagree that if it were not for volunteers, the game would not exist and, therefore, youth would not be served.

One of the central tenets and core values of the Order of the Arrow is the concept of and training in the idea of Servant Leadership. To volunteer, to commit one’s time and resources, to follow the program and create character-training environments is something that is difficult to quantify. The Ordeal program focuses on this idea: that to commit one’s time and resources to making other’s reality possible without recognition of that commitment is a higher value that we celebrate and promote. We try to pass along the idea of giving service not for one weekend, rather to commit to a life of service to others. In the right hands with the right intent, leadership is one way to provide that service no matter that at times it can be burdensome and difficult.

I hope that when you next see a Scout or Scouter that provides or has provided for you their time and resources to create the best Scouting program possible you can say thank you. For all of you and for all the Scouters in Mowogo Lodge and the Northeast Georgia Council serving in all positions and fulfilling all the roles necessary to create Scouting, thank you. In many ways, the return on your investment of time and resources is not always seen and difficult to measure. But have no doubt, you make impacts that reverberate through small...sometimes almost indistinguishable...gestures of those you have inspired because you have learned to and taught others to be prepared, to do a good turn daily, and to be unselfish in service and devotion to the welfare of others.

Founder of the Order of the Arrow, Dr. E. Under Goodman, shared that our program is a “thing of the spirit rather than mechanics (of organization, operational procedures…).” Please keep this in your thoughts as we approach our Pre-Camp Fellowship. And thank you all for creating Scouting and, following our shared values, creating people that treat others with respect, ease daily burdens, and make our world a little bit better each day…one good turn at a time.

Happy National Volunteering Week 2025! See you at our Pre-Camp Fellowship in a few weeks.

Yours in Brotherhood,

Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA

Conclave 2025

Greetings, Fellow Wearers of the Arrow!

I hope this finds you well and for those getting ready for Conclave, I hope you are getting excited! Unfortunately, I will be unable to join you in this gathering. Brother Jason Preves has agreed to serve as the Acting Lodge Adviser during Conclave. I am disappointed that I will not be there with you. Bert Adams holds a special place in my heart. The very first campout as a Scout I went on was there. And I served on the camp staff there in the late 1980's. It is a great camp and a great place to enjoy a Conclave.

I know you will represent Mowogo Lodge and the Northeast Georgia Council with distinction and enthuisiasm. Know that I will be there with you in spirit.

Thanks and I know you will have a blast!

Yours in Cheerfulness,

Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA

Spring Fellowship...& another reason why 2025 will be Great!

Greetings, Fellow Wearers of the Arrow!

We hope this finds each and every one of you well and getting excited about making 2025 the best year, yet, for Mowogo Lodge! We are currently at 147 total (both Ordeal Candidates and members) for Spring Fellowship.The deadline for registering before the late fee begins is tomorrow. Our Lodge Executive Committee has been working to prepare a meaningful Ordeal and to complete some necessary service next weekend.

As always, our first and most important task is to create a meaningful Ordeal experience so that our candidates will be able to gain insight into what Servant leadership means in the Order of the Arrow and find greater meaning in the ideals of Scouting.These Scouts and Scouters have been honored by their units because others saw in them what we look for in the efforts and work of ourselves. If that meaningful experience is achieved, these (then) new Ordeal members can return to their units and inspire through action and deed others to find the higher purpose in serving the good of others in Scouting and in their interaction with everyone they meet. Yes, there is a ripple effect that can make someone’s day a little better by our willingness to open doors for others, return grocery carts to their intended place, and just by being nice to someone for no reason other than we can. Let’s do our ‘Good Turn’ so that others we may never meet can feel a little better by the example and service we will share in our fellowship.

2025 is also special because the Northeast Georgia Council celebrates its 90th anniversary of serving youth and our communities! We are blessed and fortunate as our council continues to set an amazing example of the best of Scouting. In many aspects of program, Northeast Georgia leads or is in the top of Scouting councils around the country. It is difficult to see from inside, but I can share through experience serving outside of our council, Northeast Georgia is special. That is because of the dedication and passion of all who participate in and serve all our programs including Mowogo Lodge.

As a part of this celebration, the Northeast Georgia Council is providing a commemorative patch set (council strip and round patch). A flyer is attached for more information and details on how to order your set(s)!When I learned about this opportunity, a rush of memories flushed through my mind. My participation in this council has and continues to enrich my life and I have made and reconnected with many others that I have the honor to serve with. I am not a patch collector/trader, but these will be a part of the collection I do have.They will remind me of these memories, the people who are a part of these memories, as well as my time serving as your Lodge Adviser in 2025. I hope for all of you the same deep appreciation I have for the opportunity to be a part of Scouting in Northeast Georgia.

If you haven’t registered for Spring Fellowship, please do so soon so we can order food appropriately.Looking forward to seeing all of you next weekend!

Yours in Cheerfulness,

Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA

NEGA 90th Anniversary Patch Order Form