history

Merger. The executive committees of Metab #216 (1947) and Po-E-Mo #426 (1950) met at Camp Thunderbird. "By the end of that weekend, both LECs had agreed on the new Chief, Vice Chiefs and officers, and name of the new Lodge. It was pretty tense at moments but cool heads saved the day and it was the youth who came up with everything, of course we were pleased it was over and all was right in the OA Land of Missouri Great Rivers Council" (George Goldring, an adviser at the time). This merger took place after the Great Rivers Council merged with Lake of the Ozarks Council. The name Nampa-Tsi translated means "twin lodges."

Lodge Flap. There have been different designs for the lodge pocket flap. The original design of our lodge flap, by Vigil Honor James Quick, had an Osage (pronounced Oh-Sog-Eh) Indian with a reservation hat, a coup staff, a flaming arrow, a lake and rivers, and two tepees. Some think that the Osage Indian wore the hat because they traded with settlers. This was not the case. The hats were taken as coup from pioneer settlers after they had been scalped.

The lodge flap until 1999 contained items from both lodges. The number 216 was taken because it was lower. The flaming arrow is from Po-E-Mo. The Indian and the coup staff are from Metab. The lake represents the Lake of the Ozarks, and the river represents the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. A single lodge replaced the two, and it has two red stripes around a white lodge to represent the two lodges. The original flap was re-created in 1996 with a silver border and other 25th anniversary distinctions.

Lodge member Garrett Thorne designed the newest flap during summer camp in 1999. It features a sunrise behind the lodge totem. The white lodge with two red stripes is set on the water with the hills of central Missouri colorfully adorning the background. It also features crossed red arrows and the shield from the Metab distinction.

Chiefs. There have been 26 chiefs of Nampa-Tsi Lodge. The first was Steve Goecke. Steve continued to serve scouting after his term as chief and was on the 1985 National Jamboree Staff. Six lodge chiefs have served two terms, including the 2001 Lodge Chief Nathan McKinnon.

Section Involvement. Nampa-Tsi Lodge was a member of the NC-5 Section of the North Central Region. In 1980, John Andrews was Section Chief and Scott Swafford served as Vice Chief. In 1986 Jason Cruse served as Vice Chief, and in 1987 Mark Scheiderer was Secretary for NC-5. The Lodge hosted NC-5 Section Conclaves in 1976 and 1987. With the development of four regions in 1993, we were moved to the Central Region and Section C-6. We were service lodge for the 1997 C-6 Section Conclave at our Camp Thunderbird. In 1999 Nick Johnson served as Vice Chief, and then Chief, while J.C. Feger was Secretary. Nick was the 2000 Vice Chief of C-6. October 16, 2000, C-6 was split and the lodge became a member of C-6A. Nick serves as the 2001 C-6A Chief. We are yet to boast of National Leadership, but we have had many participants attend NOAC, NLS, and OATC.

People of Mention. David Stowe, a past lodge chief, was one of the elite arrowmen who received the Order's Distinguished Service Award at the 2000 NOAC in Knoxville. He is a past lodge chief and served OATC as a foreman, assistant director, and as its director in 1999. David served on the ceremonies staff at the 1996 NOAC at Indiana University, and on the training staff at the 1998 NOAC at Iowa State University. Stowe served on many National Leadership Seminar staffs, too.

NOAC. Also on staff at the 1998 NOAC were Nathan McKinnon and Nick Johnson on the radio staff of the activities committee, and Curtis Hainds as an actor on the shows staff who even got to portray the founder himself, E. Urner Goodman. The Nick and Nate duo interviewed Theodore Goodman and Ann Kappell (son and daughter of Dr. Goodman), and Chief Curtis Zunigha of the Delaware (Lenni Lenape) Tribe. In 1998 the lodge also sent a full contingent for the first time in many years. The 2000 contingent featured a Pre-Ordeal ceremony team composed entirely of Oglala members that received a Merit rating, an OA Jeopardy team that finished as National champions, Basketball and Volleyball teams, and many individual competitors and participants in events from track and field, to swimming, to the Brotherhood chorus. Nampa-Tsi also had a presence on the staff at NOAC 2000. Nathan McKinnon returned to the microphone in the radio station of the communications committee, this time with Jared Congiardo. Matt Kretsinger served on the Shows Staff.

Summer Camp. Nampa-Tsi Lodge promotes camping at both of its summer camps, Hohn and Thunderbird. Hohn Scout Reservation is on the Lake of the Ozarks, and Camp Thunderbird is in the northern woods of our Council's area. Brotherhood at camp is a great program we have been running for a few years to help our conversion rate. Year-to-year we have at least 75% of our lodge officers on summer camp staff.

Lodge Recognition. 1997 saw the achievement of Quality Lodge and attainment of a National Service Grant of $4,415 for the development of Cherokee campsite at Hohn Scout Camp. In 1998 we repeated as a Quality Lodge under the second term of lodge chief Curtis P. Hainds.

High Adventure. One of our past advisers, Darrell Golden personally led 24 Philmont Treks of our council contingent. Our contingents to Philmont have given many boys and leaders a great High Adventure experience. Order of the Arrow Trail Crew at Philmont Scout Ranch has been well responded to by our lodge. Nine of our lodge's Arrowmen have participated, and two have served on staff for the program.

Lodge Awards. Another of our past advisers, M. "Zeke" Secora faithfully attended and led lodge contingents to every National OA Conference he had the opportunity to attend. In his memory, the lodge created the M. "Zeke" Secora NOAC Scholarship to be presented every NOAC year to a youth arrowmen who shows promise of great future service to the lodge, has not attended a NOAC before, and it is based on financial need. The first recipient was Craig Lee Mosley in 1998. The 2000 recipient was Stephen O'Brien.

The Fred A. Zimmann Distinguished Service Award was created in 1981 by Nampa-Tsi Lodge #216 to honor and recognize members of Nampa-Tsi Lodge who have rendered distinguished service to the lodge, the Order of the Arrow, Scouting, and the Arrowman's local community. The award was named in honor of long time Scouter and Arrowman Fred A. Zimmann. The award can be presented to any Arrowman, youth or adult, but normally has been presented to Arrowmen who have given many years of service.