Congratulations to Brian Lackey, our VIce Chief of Ordeal, and Jonathan Hillis, our Lodge Chief, for a successful Spring Assembly. Paid attendance was 469. We inducted 271 new Ordeal members and 51 new brotherhood members. Ron Rardan completed his Vigil and 8 new Vigil members were selected by the Vigil Committee. Thanks and congratulations go to James McMahon for overseeing the work projects, to Clint Crabill for being Head Elangomat and to all the excellent ceremony teams and members.

Thanks also to all the adults who advise our Lodge members and help with this program.

Congratulations to the newly elected Officers for 2008-2009. Collin Evans, Lodge Chief, Austin Friday, Vice Chief Ordeal, Nick Huggins, Vice Chief Brotherhood, Russell Peck, Vice Chief Publications and Josh Cook, Secretary/Treasurer.

Remember, the Ordeal Weekend and Spring Assembly is this coming weekend, May 2-4. Candidates, Elangomats, and Members, come out to Lost Pines this weekend for our biggest event of the year. For more information, check the Calendar (http://www.tonkawa99.org/calendar/view/23) or the Candidate Letter (http://www.tonkawa99.org/candidates/oaletter.pdf).

I hope to see you all out there this weekend helping out in cheerful service and welcoming our new brothers into the Order.

Scouts, Scouters, and Venturers,

The Deadline for the first ever Tonkawa Lodge Adventure Race is quickly approaching. After March 1st, the price will go up $10 per racer and you will not be guaranteed a shirt of the proper size. After March 1st, the remaining teams will be offered to adult teams as well. Please help Tonkawa Lodge make this a great event and try to form at least one team from your troop/crew. Adults, if you would like to make a team, go ahead and let me know and I'll pencil you in now. An adult team counts as any team with at least one person over 21. As of march 1st, we'll be allowing adult teams to officially register. To register, please send me (brian2009@gmail.com) an email with the names of the four team members, which one is the team leader, a team name, and (very important) the shirt sizes of all the team members/spectators, etc. It would be great if you could also let me know how many people who aren't racing will be in attendance so we can get a semi-accurate count for food, etc.

Our team is working very hard on this event and would love to see a great turnout from the council. It will be a very fun event and I look forward to seeing you all out there.

Yours in Scouting,

Brian Lackey
Race Director

A link to the flier for the Adventure Race can be found here:

http://www.tonkawa99.org/resources/flierfull.pdf

As per discussion at the February LEC meeting, some new things have been added to the site. First, the ArrowCorps5 Promotional Video is now linked under the Resources Section. Second, the updated Candidate Letter for 2008 has been uploaded to the Candidate Info section. Furthermore, after this weekend, the new Thunderbird newsletter for Winter 07-08 will appear under the Resources section.

The flyer for Banquet is located here: http://www.tonkawa99.org/resources/BanquetFlyer.doc

Distribute wherever you can! Can't wait to see you all at Banquet.

There are a number of questions about elections and how chapters should turn in the results. Of course, giving the hard copy results to your chapter adviser to turn in to Mr. Kierstad is one way to do it. You may also enter the results on the website. Go to resources and then elections. Please ask Jonathan or Brian if you have any questions.

The Annual Lodge Banquet will be January 12th, 2008 from 12 pm - 6pm at O'Henry Middle School (2610 W. 10th Street, 78703).

This year's Banquet will include:

-Food
-Inflatable Sumo and Boxing
-Amazing Door Prize Give-Aways (Brand new top-of-the-line tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks)
-Raffle (Tons of prizes, and free raffle tickets just for coming)
-Chapter Booths
-Silent Auction (with patches, memorabilia, and other items)
-Awards Presentation
-Roman Reenactment Group
-Fun and Fellowship
-OA Goodie Bag

Plus, we will select one person that has joined our ListServ (Mailing List) and is at Banquet and give them a FREE IPOD!
So, join the ListServ and come to Banquet! I'll see you there.

A good friend and avid Scouter, Bill Pena passed away unexpectedly this week. Bill is the father of former Lodge Chief, Mark Pena, and accomplished Native American singer, Nico Pena. Bill has been the assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 413 for many years and just this past month decided to step aside (his words) as Scoutmaster of Troop 413. Bill is an Eagle Scout, a Woodbadger and a member of the Advancement Committee of the Longhorn District. Our thoughts are with Bill's family. Bill was a great teacher and a truly warm and kind man.

As most of you know, Mark Smith, our Camp Director at Lost Pines for the past several years, has been battling cancer for the last 18 months. Mark passed away today in San Angelo. Funeral arrangements will be announced.

Attention Arrowmen!

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our One-Day of Service Project has been moved to a new location.

Please help us by notifying other scouts about these changes. I hope to see you there and believe that this project will be a fantastic opportunity for the Lodge to give service back to the community.

Where: Sunken Garden Picnic Area (Near Zilker Park)
700 Robert E. Lee Road
Austin, TX
(First right hand turn past Wright Field)
When: Saturday, October 20, 2007 (same date), 8 am - 2 pm
Who: All Scouts and Scouters
Bring: Some tools will be provided by the Keep Austin Beautiful organization.
Work gloves, bow saw, rakes, a wheelbarrow (if you have one),
sunscreen, a hat, and your Cheerful Spirit
Questions : James McMahon, Service Chairman
(512) 756-7217 / nopalitos92@yahoo.com

Tonkawa Lodge will be hosting a project in conjunction with the region-wide One Day program where thousands of people from the entire Southern US participate in Cheerful Service to the community. Attendance at One Day is the only Lodge-sponsored way to achieve the Leadership in Service Award during its last year of existence.

We will be working in the Barton Creek Salamanders’ habitat. A few volunteers will have to climb into the springs. It is too deep for rubber boots. If you are willing to get wet on that day, preferable adults, please contact James McMahon.

Please let other Arrowmen know of the change, and come demonstrate the best of Arrowman attributes: Cheerful Service!