I had the pleasure of joining 2014 National Chief Nick Dannemiller and 2014 Southern Region Chief Wesley Seaman for an outstanding time at the SR2-3S Lone Star Fellowship last month. The weekend’s theme was “Arrowman State of Mind,” and we gathered at Texas State University to reflect on what it means to be an Arrowman in Scouting and non-Scouting life.
Due to our early arrival in Texas, we had the chance to experience some of the local favorites. We saw the capital, tasted local BBQ and played a short game of mini golf before arriving at the university. We then went to the opening show, where we became oriented with what to expect during the weekend.
We hit the ground running early Saturday, and I had the chance to deliver a keynote address at the Vigil Breakfast. There, I shared that even we, members of the Vigil Honor, must look to the 100th anniversary as an opportunity to strengthen our Arrowman State of Mind through committing to redouble our service and inspiring others to do the same. Following breakfast, we broke up and delivered different training cells, including a Chapter Leadership Summit, and spent time at the EPICenter. During my time as section vice chief of SR-7A, I developed a syllabus for the Chapter Leadership Summit; it was very refreshing to see this tool utilized beyond my personal use. The EPICenter was made up of an assortment of booths ranging from a fire truck, to a police tactical vehicle, and even a NOAC promotions area. Before we jumped in to the afternoon activities, we attended the VIA luncheon for conclave and lodge leadership, along with each lodge’s youngest Arrowman. Wes delivered remarks on his Arrowman State of Mind during the meal.
The afternoon was spent partaking in many awesome activities. Several hundred participants and guests tubed down the San Marcos River that runs through campus. This was both a great time to relax and a cultural experience, as tubing around campus is common practice for locals. We then went on to check out the paint wars where Arrowmen took their silk screened shirts from that morning and flung paint at one another. Talk about a crazy mess!
That evening, we all participated in a gathering where we had the opportunity to watch a section election and a theme show. Congratulations to the 2014-2015 officers (Alex Call, section chief; Rod Reyna, section vice chief; Lane Randall, section secretary) who were elected that night. The evening concluded with the Arrowman Bash where lodges served fried oreos, sausages, root beer and more. They also held activities like music/lasers and a game of ga-ga ball.
The weekend was filled with ingenuity, inspiration and fun as we worked together to find our Arrowman State of Mind. Best of luck to the newly elected officers as they plan their centennial conclave!
- 2014 National Vice Chief Taylor Bobrow
