By Austin Pauling
Two lodges in Section NE-2A--Owaneco and Pocumtuc--have developed a new type of Lodge Leadership Development, called the Joint Lodge Leadership Development. Pocumtuc Lodge Chief Elijah Harris suggested that the two lodges could build a better relationship, have the best possible training experience for their members and experience fellowship outside of regular section events such as section conclave. The JLLD was held in October 2014. The event also served as a preliminary test to Project LEAP, a training event that is put together by Section NE-2A.
The purpose of the JLLD was to train and equip Arrowmen within each lodge with the tools to lead in and outside of the Order of the Arrow. Another purpose of the JLLD was to work off each lodge’s strengths to create the best training event possible for their members by utilizing the best trainers and resources from each lodge. Owaneco Lodge Chief Daniel Wivagg said holding a joint LLD added an extra element to the training weekend.
“An ordinary LLD is a time for Arrowmen to learn and grow but the JLLD also allowed Arrowmen to expand their horizons by meeting brothers from a different lodge and geographic area, thus improving the outcome vastly,” Wivagg said.
Elijah Harris explained that the joint event wasn’t much harder or organize than a normal LLD.
“The differences between a LLD and this JLLD would be similar to the differences between a fellowship and a conclave. The basic premise is the same, but there is simply more to it.” Harris said. “There were trainers from other lodges within the section and the members of each of our lodges who had never really interacted outside of our council were shown just how heavily involved brotherhood is in the brotherhood of cheerful service.”
At the event, lodges were able to create a tracked system for their trainings, geared toward administration, leadership, or programming. These tracks allowed Arrowmen to choose their preferred area to be trained in, and also included some combined sessions like communication fundamentals. This style allowed the lodges to better share their ideas, experience and fellowship. Along with the tracks, Arrowmen with similar roles were paired up together, so each duo would consist of one member from each lodge. This allowed the duo to share ideas and talk about what they learned as they went throughout the day. Like a normal LLD, there were breakout sessions where the lodges could come together and discuss the day and how to implement what they have learned. The event also included activities like ultimate frisbee that strengthened fellowship even further.
Holding a JLLD with a nearby lodge has many benefits whether it is in relation to finances, collaboration, and resource allocation. But most importantly, the joint LLD increases the knowledge that each participant gains. By having various perspectives from other lodges, each lodge can only grow stronger, and each participant can only be more aware. When putting the two together, the outcome is a highly successful training.