Lodge Feature: Tsoiotsi Tsogalii Lodge Elangomat Program
At the beginning of October I had the opportunity to visit Lodge 70’s Fall Ordeal and served as an Elangomat. Lodge 70 has a great Elangomat program that keeps people coming back and back to serve. Each time you serve as an Elangomat you get a patch that forms part of a two-piece flap set. Many of the Lodge members wear this patch set on their uniform. Each Elangomat also receives a t-shirt and can get a stamp on the sleeve of the shirt each time they serve as an Elangomat. The other part of their Elangomat program is their Nimat Award. The Elangomats are given the contact information of each of their candidates and they call them and encourage them to come back to other Lodge events and encourage them to complete their Brotherhood. If a certain percentage of their clan earns their brotherhood in their first year the Elangomat receives the award.
This program is so much more than just getting patches, it builds friendships and a community. It really shows what it means to be an Elangomat. I was paired with Wayne Isley for the weekend. He has been an Elangomat for several years and helped to develop these programs. He truly represented what it meant to be an Elangomat; helping to assist with arduous labor, being there for his clan, encouraging them to stay involved in the OA, and showing them what the OA is all about. I have worked many ordeals before in my own Lodge and others, but I learned so much from Lodge 70’s program. If you haven’t served as an Elangomat in your Lodge, or haven’t been an Elangomat for awhile, I highly encourage you to do so. It is a rewarding experience. As Allowat Sakima said; “Those who choose you, need you.”
Yours in Scouting,
John Sommer | Vice Chief of Training