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It is the mission of Te’kening Lodge 37 to achieve the purpose of the Order of the Arrow as an integral part of the Boy Scouts of America in Southern New Jersey Council through positive youth leadership under the guidance of selected capable adults.* (Adopted 9/99)

A. The name of this lodge of the Order of the Arrow shall be Te’kening Lodge #37, Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui.* Te’kening means "In The Woods" in the Lenni-Lenape language. (Revised 9/99)

B. The lodge shall be affiliated with Southern New Jersey Council, Boy Scouts of America, and shall be under the supervision of the Council Camping Committee and under the administrative authority of the Scout Executive.*

C. The totem of this lodge shall be that of the wild turkey.

D. Lodge neckerchiefs and sashes shall be worn only when representing the Order of the Arrow. The sash is worn with official class "A" uniform or Scouting’s official adult dress wear, and/or in such other instances as approved by the Lodge Chief / Advisor.

E. The lodge pocket flap shall conform with the requirements set forth by the Order of the Arrow handbook. Te’kening Lodge #37 follows the National Order of the Arrow Committee’s policy that no restrictions be placed on the purchase of the standard Lodge flap.

A. The requirements for membership in this lodge are as stated in the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Handbook and the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisors, or as amended by the National Order of the Arrow Committee.* (Revised 9/99)

B. All unit elections must be cleared through the Unit Elections Committee. (Revised 9/99)

1. The Unit Election Committee shall be composed of at least one member from each chapter and as outlined in the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Handbook. (Revised 9/99)

2. Elections conducted in any other way, or in such cases where inaccurate information has been supplied to the election team, will in no way be honored by the Lodge. (Revised 9/99)

3. No individual member may conduct elections in his own troop. Any such elections will not be honored by the Lodge. (Revised 9/99)

C. After election, a Scout or Scouter is considered a candidate until he or she has completed the Ordeal of the Order of the Arrow.

D. Procedure for the Ordeal shall be as stated in the Order of the Arrow Handbook and Administration Guide for the Ordeal.* (Revised 9/99)

A. The officers of this lodge shall be Lodge Chief, Lodge Vice Chief, Secretary and Treasurer. These elected officers must be younger than 21 years of age during their entire term of office.* (Revised 9/99)

B. The executive board shall be composed of the elected Lodge officers, immediate past lodge chief, lodge operating committee chairmen, lodge advisor, another member of the Council Camping Committee, chapter chiefs, chapter advisors (where applicable), Scout executive, and the lodge staff advisor.* (Revised 9/99)

C. The Lodge Advisor shall be appointed by the Scout Executive.* The Lodge Advisor is the Deputy Supreme Chief of the Fire and is a member of the Council Camping committee.

D. The Staff Advisor is a professional staff member and acts on behalf of the Scout Executive in giving guidance to the Lodge.

E. The Lodge Chief shall appoint such operating and special committee chairmen as may be required from time to time, subject to the approval of the Lodge Advisor. The Lodge Chief has the power at any time during the year to dismiss any non-elected member of the Lodge Executive Board for inadequate service, subject to the approval of the Lodge Advisor.

F. Committee and Chapter Advisors shall be appointed by the Lodge Advisor, in consultation with the Scout Executive. The terms of these appointed Advisors shall correspond to those of the elected Lodge officers. (Revised 9/99)

G. The Lodge Chief shall have the power to act upon matters of business in the best interest of the Lodge, if said business cannot be delayed until the next scheduled Lodge Executive Board meeting, subject to the approval of the Lodge Advisor and the Lodge Staff Advisor.

H. Whenever the Lodge Chief transmits to the Lodge Executive Board his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written document on the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice Chief acting as Lodge Chief.

I. The Scout Executive is the final authority of Te’kening Lodge #37, Order of the Arrow. He holds the title of Supreme Chief of the Fire.

A. In the eventuality that the Lodge Chief will not be serving on Summer Camp Staff, he may elect to appoint a Te’kening Lodge Brotherhood or Vigil youth staff member to serve as Camp Chief (Camp Chief of the Fire). This appointment must be made prior to the first spring weekend each year. This individual will represent the lodge and handle all Order of the Arrow affiliated activities during Summer Camp. The appointment of Camp Chief is subject to the approval of the Lodge Advisor, Lodge Staff Advisor, and Camp Director. (Revised 9/99)

B. The Camp Chief will be responsible for all Order of the Arrow activities during summer camp, including, but not exclusive to, Ordeal call-out ceremonies, Friday night Snake trail, Order of the Arrow days, OA Ice Cream Social night and program, and any other programs that the Lodge wishes to take on. (Adopted 9/99)

C. Te’kening Lodge will pay $150.00 to the camp chief each summer. If the camp chief serves the camp as a full time staff member with his full time position being Camp Chief, the lodge shall reimburse the council his season’s pay in the amount of $100.00 per week. If the responsibilities of Camp Chief are split, the salary will be split accordingly. (Revised 9/10/2006)

A. The officers of this lodge shall be elected at the May Service Weekend. Installation/Recognition of new officers shall be held at the conclusion of the June Service weekend’s General Lodge Meeting. The term of office shall begin at the conclusion of the Section NE-2A Conclave and serve through the following year’s Conclave. (Revised 9/10/2006)

B. All chapter officers will have terms for the same period of time and will be elected immediately following the election of the Lodge Officers. Installation of Chapter Officers will be immediately following the election. (Revised 9/10/2006)

C. (revised May 2007) All those wishing to be nominated for a lodge or chapter officer position must meet all the following eligibility requirements:

C. for Lodge Chief (in addition to above noted requirements)

1. All candidates must serve as an active member of the lodge executive board for a minimum term of 1 year.
2. All candidates must have written acknowledgement from the Current Lodge Chief that they have successfully met the 1 year service to e-board eligibility requirement.

D. Nominations for lodge officers may be made by any chapter chief, or his designated representative, when nominations are declared open at a general lodge meeting. Nominations shall require no second but will require acceptance of the candidate. Nominations for each office shall be closed only once-just before balloting for that office.

E. The following election procedures shall be used:

1. After the nominations for a given office are declared closed, the chapter chief, or his designated representative, will poll his chapter membership who are under twenty-one years of age to determine how the chapter will cast its votes. Such a poll shall be taken before each ballot.

2. Each chapter represented by at least one youth member may cast ten (10) votes for each office on all ballots. The chapter chief, or his designated representative, must cast the ten votes in proportion to the poll of the chapter membership (in whole votes, not fractions). In no case shall adults vote or cast ballots for a chapter.

3. A nominee must receive a majority (one vote more than fifty percent) of the votes cast on a given ballot to be elected (abstentions do not count as votes cast). Where a majority is not achieved, the nominee(s) receiving the least number of votes is (are) dropped and another ballot is taken. This procedure continues until one nominee achieves a majority and is declared elected, or until two ballots in succession result in tie votes and the balloting is declared deadlocked.

4. When balloting is declared deadlocked, the officer conducting the election will announce to the voting delegates that one more ballot will be taken to break the tie and, if another tie results, he shall cast sufficient votes for the nominee of his choice to achieve a majority and declare him elected.

F. (revised May 2007) Any Elected member of the lodge may be impeached in accordance with the following regulations:

1. for a lodge officer:
1. A petition being signed by a minimum of 51% of active youth (under 21) members. Active being defined as attended 2 lodge service/LLD weekends in the one year prior to the petition being started.
2. The petition must include the date it is started, reasons for impeachment, and all those who sign must include printed name in addition to their signature.
3. The petition will then be sent to the e-board whereupon a 75% of all youth e-board members shall vote for impeachment process to pass.
4. The noted person must be informed of decision via certified mail within 15 days and will have until the next e-board meeting to submit in writing an appeal.
1. The appeal will be presented to the Lodge Key-3.
2. With appeal’s decision from Lodge Key-3, the Key-3’s decision must be presented to Lodge Executive Board who can overturn the decision with a vote of 85% or more of the entire lodge Executive board.
2. for a chapter officer:
1. A petition being signed by a minimum of 51% of active youth (under 21) chapter members. Active being defined as attended 2 lodge service/LLD weekends in the one year prior to the petition being started.
2. The petition must include the date it is started, reasons for impeachment, and all those who sign must include printed name in addition to their signature.
3. The petition will then be sent to the e-board whereupon a 75% of all present youth e-board members shall vote for impeachment process to pass.
4. The noted person must be informed of decision via certified mail within 15 days and will have until the next e-board meeting to submit in writing an appeal.
1. The appeal will be presented to the Lodge Key-3.
2. With appeal’s decision from Lodge Key-3, the Key-3’s decision must be presented to Lodge Executive Board who can overturn the decision with a vote of 85% or more of the entire lodge Executive board.

A. The Lodge shall schedule a minimum of two Lodge meetings per year. The lodge shall schedule events as listed:

1. Te’kening Lodge annual banquet

2. Camp service weekend(s)

3. Lodge Leadership Development / Fellowship weekend (Revised 9/99)

B. The Executive Board Committee of this Lodge shall hold at least three meetings during their term of office. Special meetings of the Executive Board Committee or the Lodge as a whole may be called if deemed necessary by the Lodge Chief with the approval of the Lodge Advisor.

1. Each meeting of the lodge (and of the Executive Board) shall be opened with the Obligation of the Order of the Arrow and closed with the Order of the Arrow official song.*

2. Adult Scouters, age 21 or older, do not have a vote in matters of lodge business.* (Revised 9/99)

3. Voting members shall constitute those elected Executive Board officers and chairmen of standing committees, or their representatives, present at the meeting.

A. Committee chairmen are members of the Executive Board. Committee chairmen will be responsible for meeting with members routinely in order to make the committee function efficiently and effectively.

B. Committee chairmen are responsible for securing the approval of all activities from the appointed adult committee Advisor.

C. The Lodge Operating Committees shall be the following: Camp Promotions, Service, Program, Unit Elections, Ceremonies, Membership, Publications, Food Service, Brotherhood, Training, Elangomat, Health & Safety, Vigil Honor, ASK Team and Finance.

D. The name of the Lodge publication shall be In The Woods. (Revised 9/99)

1. The Publications Committee is responsible for production of In The Woods. That committee’s adult advisor shall approve all stories included in the publication.

2. In The Woods shall be sent out quarterly, with additional mailings as deemed necessary by the Lodge Executive Board Committee. Editions preceding lodge events shall be published thirty days prior to the respective event, to warrant notice to the general membership. (Revised 9/99)

E. Ceremonies will be conducted in a proper manner in accordance to National Order of the Arrow policy.

1. No troop, chapter, or other entity other than the Lodge may conduct any Order of the Arrow ceremonies without the express written consent of the Lodge Executive Board Committee. (Adopted 9/99)

2. The forms, nomenclature, traditions of the Native Americans are utilized insofar as they are conductive to furthering the objectives of the Order. Under no circumstances shall such an emphasis be placed upon the Native American aspect of the Order as to obscure its objectives. (Adopted 9/99)

3. There shall be no violence or hazing in any ceremony conducted by this Lodge for the purpose of inducting or nominating a camper to membership. (Adopted 9/99)

F. In addition, the Lodge Chief may appoint chairmen to head various ad hoc committees. These chairmen will be non-voting members of the Executive Board.

A. The lodge shall, upon the decision of the Scout Executive, be divided into chapters that will complete the objectives of the lodge more efficiently. Their boundaries shall be determined according to Lodge membership needs, upon recommendation of the Lodge Chief, Lodge Advisor, Lodge Staff Advisor, and the approval of the Lodge Executive Board.

B. Chapter supervision will come from the District Camping Committees and the administrative authority of assigned District Executives and the Lodge Staff Advisor.

C. There shall be no individual chapter treasuries than those operating funds established and furnished by the lodge.

D. Each Chapter Chief shall appoint such operating committees for the chapter as may be required with the approval of the Lodge Executive Board Committee. All chairmen shall be under twenty-one (21) years of age.

A. The Lodge shall pay the Lodge Chief’s registration fee to the Section Conclave and the National Order of the Arrow Conference, if he desires to attend, provided funds are available. The Lodge shall also pay fifty (50%) percent of the registration fee for all other Lodge officers wishing to attend the National Order of the Arrow Conference, provided funds are available. The applicable Lodge Chief and officers are those in the position at the time of registration.

B. It shall be the responsibility of the Lodge Treasurer to work with the Finance committee to prepare an annual Lodge budget to be submitted to the Executive Board committee for approval no later than the first Lodge Executive Board committee meeting of the new fiscal year. (The fiscal year for Te’kening Lodge #37 begins January 1 and ends December 31).

C. The induction fee for candidates shall be decided upon at the Executive Board meeting prior to the mailing of the invitations. For this fee each new Ordeal member shall receive:

1. A membership card expiring December of that year.

2. An Order of the Arrow Ordeal sash.

3. Te’kening Lodge #37 pamphlet "Information for New Brothers" including a copy of the current Lodge Rules and an Executive Board mailing list.

4. The current standard Te’kening Lodge flap. (Revised 9/99)

5. The current edition of the Order of the Arrow Handbook.

6. An Order of the Arrow Brotherhood sash upon completion of the Brotherhood.

D. There shall be no additional cost added to the general weekend fee for a registered member of Te’kening Lodge 37 to complete the Brotherhood.

E. The Lodge Executive Board Committee reserves the right to set the price for all Lodge patches and merchandise.

F. The dues to Te’kening Lodge #37 shall be collected annually by the Lodge Treasurer in the amount determined by the Executive Board committee, subject to the approval of the Scout Executive. (Revised 9/99) Membership cards will be issued to all Lodge brothers whose dues are current.

1. A member shall be considered inactive and cease to receive lodge publications if his or her dues have not been paid for one full year. It shall be the responsibility of the Lodge Treasurer to remove the inactive member from the mailing list. (Revised 9/99)

2. Inactive members may restoren themselves to active status by paying the current year’s dues in addition to the previous year’s dues. (Revised 9/99)

3. A member who is not considered current by the Lodge Treasurer by the first Spring weekend loses his right to vote, to be nominated and to hold office in Te’kening Lodge.

4. All transfers of members into this lodge from another lodge shall pay the current year’s dues and be considered an active member of Te’kening Lodge. (Adopted 9/99)

G. The Lodge Treasurer, under the supervision of the appointed Lodge Financial Advisor, is responsible for all record keeping and inventory having to do with the fiscal operations of the Lodge.

H. All Order of the Arrow funds shall be handled through the Southern New Jersey Council Service Center and go through all normal accounting procedures.* (Revised 9/99)

I. Lodge officers and committee chairmen may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the operation of the Lodge. All claims for reimbursement must be submitted in writing, with valid receipts, to the Lodge Treasurer. Payment of all expenses must have approval of Lodge Executive Board committee.

J. Allocation of funds for operating expenses must be approved by the Lodge Advisor prior to incurring expenses.

K. Each current Lodge member shall be able to purchase up to two (2) Lodge neckerchief patches as a member of Te’kening Lodge #37. (Adopted 9/99)

A. Completion of Brotherhood membership shall be in accordance with the requirements in the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Handbook and the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisors.* (Revised 9/99)

A. Attainment of the Vigil Honor shall be in accordance with the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Handbook and the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisors.* (Revised 9/99)

B. A Vigil Honor Chairman and committee will be appointed by the Lodge Chief by January of each year. Members of this committee shall be approved by the Lodge Advisor. The duties of the Vigil Honor committee shall be: (Revised 9/99)

1. Review the submitted Lodge Vigil Petitions, and select qualified candidates for the Vigil Honor. All nominations shall be submitted on the Lodge Vigil Petition preferably no later than two weeks prior to the scheduled Vigil Honor Nominating Committee meeting. However, forms will be accepted up to the start of the meeting after which point none will be accepted. (Adopted 9/99)

2. To determine where and when the Vigil Honor Ceremony shall be held, and select the Vigil Honor Ceremonial Team. (Adopted 9/99)

3. To approve and determine when and where any other special Vigil Honor Ceremonies shall be held. (Adopted 9/99)

A: The Bronze Oak Award
The Lodge may award the Bronze Oak award for distinguished service to Scouting and the Order of the Arrow upon the following: No member of the Order of the Arrow, Te’Kening Lodge #37, is eligible to receive this award. The award is intended to recognize non-Lodge members for there distinguished service to the Lodge. Any member in good standing may submit nominations. Nominations shall follow the guidelines set fourth by the awards committee. The committee may select recipients other than those presented by petition. The award shall be presented at the Lodge Banquet or other meeting designated by the Lodge Executive Committee. The award shall consist of a Bronze Oak medallion suspended from a ribbon or other suitable material so as to be worn around the recipient’s neck.

B: The Silver Oak Award
The lodge may award the Silver Oak award for distinguished service to scouting and the Order of the Arrow upon the following: The award is intended to recognize members of Te’Kening Lodge #37 for their distinguished service to the lodge. All nominees for the Silver Oak Award must be members in good standing of the lodge and their local unit/council at the same time of their nomination and selection. Any member in good standing may submit nominations. Nominations shall follow the guidelines set fourth by the awards committee. 1) The committee may select recipients other than those presented by petition. 2) There shall not be more than one Silver Oak Award presented for each Vigil Honor member elected the previous year. 3) Not more than fifty percent or the awards in any one year will be presented to Scouters over twenty-one years of age. 4) The award shall be presented at the Lodge Banquet or other meeting designated by the Lodge Executive Committee. The award shall consist of a Silver Oak medallion suspended from a ribbon or other suitable material so as to be worn around the recipient’s neck.

(Adopted 6/02)

C: Awards Committee
The awards committee is an ad hoc committee of Te’Kening Lodge #37. The committee shall be composed of lodge members who have been recipients of this award in previous years. Each chapter shall have at least one representative on this committee. The Lodge Chief (or Vice Chief) is an ex officio member of the committee. The Awards Committee will be responsible for selecting recipients for the Silver and Bronze Oak Awards, as based on the afore mentioned criteria. The committee will also solicit nominations for the Founders Award. These nominations will be forwarded to the Lodge Key Three to aid in their selection of the recipients for the

Founders Award. The Committee will also help handle any other special Lodge

recognition’s as deemeed necessary by the Lodge Executive Committee.

B. Chapters reserve the right to design and implement certain chapter awards and recognition each year. (Revised 9/99)

1. Any chapter awards must have the approval of the Lodge Chief, Lodge Advisor, and Executive Board committee before September 1 of the year in which the award will be presented. (Adopted 9/99)

2. Chapter awards will be given out at the annual Family Banquet. (Adopted 9/99)

The Chief of this Lodge shall each year appoint a committee for the purpose of reviewing the Lodge Rules of this lodge, by the first Executive Board meeting of the year. Any changes proposed by this committee shall be voted upon at the next general lodge meeting. (Revised 9/99)

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