More details about the following activities are in the Beaver Tracks and on the Ktemaque Lodge web site at www.ktemaque.org

Order of the Arrow Members Help Needy Widow
The Order of the Arrow Ktemaque Lodge held its annual community service project, AmeriCares Home Front, on Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Pleasantville, NY. AmeriCares Home Front is a community-based volunteer home repair program that helps homeowners who are physically or financially unable to maintain their property. Work is done at no cost to the homeowners. MetLife provided $3,400 for supplies.

This year's project helped a financially-needy widow who works as a Teacher's Aide and has a son in high school and another son in college. Her hardships began when her husband was diagnosed with cancer while she was caring for her mother. In 2007 her husband and mother died within a few months of each other. In addition, a handful of her relatives have died in recent years. For a period of time she had no income and couldn't maintain her home and property.

About 50 Ktemaque Lodge youth and adult members worked for about 400 man-hours and completed the following work: painting the foundation and inside of the house, staining the rear deck and a foot bridge, raking and removing leaves, repairing the lawn mower, mowing the grass, preparing beds for planting, trimming trees, clearing out a storage shed, replacing the dead bolt on the front door, replacing the handle latch and lock on the front storm door, fixing the sewer pump, installing a French drain for an external sump pump, and staining the above-ground pool deck and steps. A free AmeriCares Home Front t-shirt, lunch – including snacks and beverages – were provided to all who attended. The Scouts helping also earned community service hours for rank advancement.

Thank you to the Ktemaque Lodge Service Vice Chief, Tucker W. and his adviser, Norman Herman for organizing and leading this project.

An article about this project was published in the Journal News on May 3, 2009. The end of this newspaper article stated that the homeowner “. . . got teary-eyed” when she described what the project meant to her. "It gives you faith again after being through so many hardships," she said. "After so many years of bad luck, this is like winning the lottery."

156 Scouts Elected During Order of the Arrow Unit Elections
156 Scouts from 65 troops in the Westchester-Putnam Council were elected during this year's Order of the Arrow Unit Elections. Congratulations to all the newly elected Candidates and selected adults! Ktemaque Lodge looks forward to meeting these Scouts and adults during their induction process, called the Ordeal, in May or September. The Election is the first step, the Ordeal is the second step, and Brotherhood is the third and final step towards full membership in the Order of the Arrow.
Anyone elected who has not received his Candidate letter should contact the Ktemaque Lodge Operations Adviser, Alex Weiner. Scouts who were elected in 2009 and adults who were approved for participation in the induction process must complete their Ordeal in 2009 at the Spring or Fall Ordeal or they must be reelected (Scouts) or renominated (adults) in 2010 unless he requests in writing a waiver due to a medical or family emergency.

Click here for more information about Order of the Arrow membership and eligibility. If you have questions, contact Alex Weiner, Lodge Operations Adviser.

National Order of the Arrow Conference
The National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) is Scouting's second-largest national program event. All youth and adult members of Ktemaque Lodge are invited to attend the 30th National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) on August 1-6, 2009 at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Over 8,000 Arrowmen will come together to have fun, learn new things, and celebrate the best the Order of the Arrow has to offer. This six-day adventure is unlike any other event in Scouting.

A typical NOAC day covers all aspects of the OA. In the morning, you can pick your choice of world-class training sessions ranging from Leadership, Indian Crafts, Ceremonies, High Adventure Skills, and more. The afternoon brings sports, competitions, special events, and more. After dinner, you get to see an outstanding Evening Show, with a new show each night. After the show, there are open activities, patch trading, and just hanging out with your friends.
To better understand a NOAC, take a look at this video.

The expected cost is $650 per Arrowman. We'll stay in dorm rooms (most are air-conditioned) on the Indiana University campus. Ktemaque Lodge will travel by bus, stopping enroute at the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio.

If you are interested in going to this unforgettable event and for more information, contact Rob Carlson, Lodge Adviser.

Patches For Sale
If you are interested in purchasing Ktemaque Lodge's National Order of the Arrow Conference 2009 patches, the prices are below. Add $1.50 for shipping.
• $10 trading patches with red border
• $25 fund raising patches with yellow border
• $80 numbered sets with silver border contingent patch
If you have questions or to order patches, please contact Rob Carlson, Lodge Adviser.

NEW Order of the Arrow High Adventure Program - Canadian Odyssey
The Order of the Arrow High Adventure programs are very popular, low-cost, high adventure programs for Order of the Arrow members. OA members may select the OA Trail Crew at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the OA Wilderness Voyage in Minnesota, the OA Ocean Adventure in Florida, or the NEW OA Canadian Odyssey. For two weeks, you will join together with Arrowmen from around the country and experience one of Scouting's best adventures! There will be one week of service and one week of high adventure activities.

Register early since these popular, low-cost programs fill fast. In fact, the OA Ocean Adventure is already FULL for 2009. We encourage you to apply for OA Trail Crew, OA Wilderness Voyage, or OA Canadian Odyssey, as preference for OA Ocean Adventure in 2010 will be given to those who have attended either OA Trail Crew, OA Wilderness Voyage, or OA Canadian Odyssey.

More information and application forms are at http://adventure.oa-bsa.org/.

If you have questions, contact Rob Carlson, Lodge Adviser.

Order of the Arrow Founder's Award
The Order of the Arrow Founder’s Award is a rare and prestigious honor reserved for those Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to their lodge and who demonstrate to his fellow Arrowmen that he memorializes in his everyday life the spirit of achievement as described by founder E. Urner Goodman and co-founder Carroll A. Edson. Since it was created in 1981, only 25 Ktemaque Lodge members have received the Founder's Award. The Founder's Award was presented during the 2009 Lodge Banquet to two outstanding Ktemaque Lodge members - Kevin McGinn and Ernest F. Wieting.

Read more about Kevin and Ernie in the January - March 2009 issue of the Beaver Tracks newsletter on the Ktemaque Lodge web site.