A New Day... A New Era...
Greetings, Fellow Wearers of the Arrow!
We reach out to you to share great news! Last night the Executive Board of the Northeast Georgia Council, BSA approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU - attached) that establishes a formal partnership and relationship with the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee (GTEC) After the MOU was unanimously approved by the Executive Board, a formal signing ceremony was held with Ms. Rhonda Odum, Tribal Council Chair of the GTEC, and our council leadership including Brother Michael Levengood, our Council President, and our Scout Executive, Brother Trip Selman.
Late last year, the National Order of the Arrow Committee let each council and lodge decide whether or not native American culture would continue in their programming. The Northeast Georgia Council made the decision to keep this important part of our program. This required a MOU with a federally or state recognized native American nation that expresses this desire and to focus all of this programming locally. While this initiative began with the OA program, we believe that this can have a positive impact on all of the family of Scouting programs in our council. And, as of last night, it is official!
As part of the goals of the GTEC, they are planning to develop an authentic Cherokee village and promote the important and critical culture of the first peoples in north Georgia. Mowogo Lodge is proud and prepared to offer our resources and skills to helping them achieve their goals and we will serve as the catalyst for our youth and adult participants to learn genuine Cherokee culture and heritage.
We hope you will join us in welcoming our new friends and be ready to learn and grow with them. This is the beginning of a new opportunity for all of us and future generations of Scouts and Scouters we may never meet. Their leadership is planning on joining us at our Pow Wow Fellowship in September.
Yours in Service,
Rusty Royston
Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge
Northeast Georgia Council, BSA
