By Cole Gabriel
Arrowmen are always seeking out opportunities to serve, and opportunities are especially prevalent during the holiday season. We reached out to our brothers on Facebook to see what special holiday service projects their lodges performed. Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota sees tens of thousands of visitors who come to leave wreaths and decorations for their loved ones unable to join them for the holidays. This is an honorable action and a welcomed tradition by all of the citizens of Minneapolis. Shortly after friends and families visit to pay their respects, the thousands of decorations must be collected to maintain the orderliness of the area. That is where the hundreds of Scouts from the Northern Star Council and Totanhan Nakaha Lodge come in. They perform over 2,400 total hours of service over the course of three hours collecting wreaths and decorations in one morning.
This effort is headed up by the Kaposia Chapter of Totanhan Nakaha Lodge, but the work force consists of Scouts of all ages. Arrowmen, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Sea Scouts and Venturers are all present at this event, which has an average attendance of 800 every year. Upon arrival, the officers of the Kaposia Chapter divide the groups into different work details, and the volunteers quickly and efficiently begin to collect decorations over the 436 acre cemetery. Some are assigned to the physical collection process, while others are assigned to transport the adornments to be stored or disposed of.
The efforts of the Scouts of the Northern Star Council are appreciated by the cemetery maintenance staff, as the 35,000 items on the grounds would take many hours or even days to be gathered by the staff alone. In addition to the invaluable service given to the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, the Scouts of the twenty-five counties of central Minnesota and western Wisconsin have the opportunity to come together for the holiday season and remind themselves the principles of brotherhood, cheerfulness and service. Throughout the days of celebration, Arrowmen will enjoy camaraderie and celebration, but also continue to serve and represent both the principles of the Order and the spirit of the season.