Jake Wellman Online

In February, I joined Ben Stilwill and everyone in the BSA’s national council at the National Committee meetings in Dallas. Ben and I flew out a couple days early and hung out with Evan Chaffee and Andy Collins (who were out for Boy Scout Handbook meetings). After those guys left, though, we had a ton of meetings to attend on our own. I went to the OA Committee meeting (go AC5!- haha), NESA meeting (this one was cool because Congressmen Pete Sessions joined us for breakfast as the newest committee meeting), Training, Boy Scout committee, Program group, Scoutreach, and Direct Service (I found out that I am the lodge chief for Gamenowinink- surprise!), and then the National Executive Board meeting. Ben went to most of these with me and also sat on the advancement committee (he got to help shoot down the “magic” merit badge). It was kinda cool to see how the organization works on that level, but I was ready to get home after 5 days of meetings…

I also had dinner with the 2007-8 Venturing president (David George) from the OC. He was very cool and turned out to be a good friend on the Report to the Nation (more on that later). We ate with this guy who wrestled a bear… I was impressed.

At the beginning of February I joined the Western Region committee in playing a good round of golf in Arizona. I flew in and joined Chad Wolver at his house on campus. The next morning we headed out to the golf course. I don’t know about Chad, but I had never played golf before. We found our designated cart and got ready to play. I saw someone putting on a glove and asked Chad if we needed those to play. He then informed me that we didn’t even have clubs… After everyone had a good laugh at the national chief, we geared up and set off to tear up the course (unfortunately we tore it up a little too literally). Steve Silbiger did an awesome job in coordinating the event and taking care of us youth participants.

Needless to say, Chad and I could find our way around a Nascar track after driving each other around on the golf cart. We were in a group with Bruce Mayfield and Rob Wong and all had a good time. Apparently we were moving a little slow because some guy who worked for the course kept telling us to move it along because we were slowing down the whole course. Clint and his crew were behind us and I doubt they minded us taking our time… Eventually the cronie made us skip an entire hole.

We ended the course with a decent number (in my opinion- 84 I think?). Afterwards, I drove Clint and the gang back to their apartment and then on to Mike Hoffman’s house, where Mark Hendricks met us. Jeff Jonasen and Nick Digorolamo joined us from the great southern region. After some great food, conversations, and laughs, we headed back to Calvin’s apartment where there was a dead body on the first floor. After squeezing past the police, coroner, and other official looking people, we made it safely inside and recovered from seeing a dead body!

We finally made it back in time to catch some sleep and go to the Western Region OA Committee meeting…. (6 hours long). In short, all is well in the west. Then we went to Gene Wadford’s house for some great food, thanks to Judy, and a big goodbye to Gene- who retired soon after from his post as the Western Region Staff Adviser.

The next morning, it was back on the plane to catch the Super Bowl back in Albuquerque.

I realize that I am still a couple months behind on updating this site. Between traveling and making up school work, I haven’t had too much free time to update things online. Now its time to play a little catch up.

I was thrown in to my term as national chief almost right away with a series of 4 banquets. The day after I returned from New Year’s at Philmont, I drove down to El Paso for the Gila lodge’s Winter Banquet. I was already scheduled to attend this event as Section Chief and was glad I could make it. They were pretty pumped about my election as well and were happy to have me.

I drove back to Albuquerque that night to catch a 6 AM plane to Boston for the Tisquantum lodge banquet. In my 3 days in Massachusetts, I met up with good friends Greg Burke, Mike O’Keeffe, and Tommy Taricano, in addition to making many more new friends. We all had a fun time hitting up the town of Boston. I was able to tour one of my prospective colleges, Boston University, and visit alot of major historical sites. After 2 days of touring, we went to the banquet and heard about all the awesome accomplishments the lodge had made in the past year. I was very impressed and hope that they continue in their success.

The next weekend, I was off to SoCal for the Ta Tanka Lodge banquet. I think the highlight of the dinner was getting to sign a chapter’s mascot- a shoe! In addition to attending a great banquet, the lodge officers took me to Knott’s Berry Farm. I’m not too big on roller coasters, but it was fun getting to know the guys.

At the end of January, I made the familiar trip to Phoenix for the Wipala Wiki Lodge Banquet. As a neighboring section chief, I loved visiting the Wikis, attending their last two conclaves and 2 region gatherings at their scout pueblo. I spent the weekend with Troy Wolver and enjoyed the banquet, very well run by the new W4C Section Chief John Kondziolka. Another example of a successful and strong lodge doing what the organization is here to do. Enjoyed eating dinner with Lodge Chief Doug Hockett and his GF. Ironically, Chad was out of town on an OA event, but we caught up the next weekend at the Double Vigil.

That concluded my banquet marathon, and allowed me to meet hundreds of awesome arrowmen. I can’t wait to meet more and see how lodges and sections are doing around the nation.

Soon after my election as national chief in Dallas, I joined some of my closest friends in a retreat to Philmont Scout Ranch to celebrate the new year.

Joining me on this trip were Evan Chaffee, Joey Dworak, Kieran Thompson, Ted Dodson, and Drew Dougherty. Everyone flew into Albuquerque and we drove up to the ranch in Joey’s car. Gene Schnell and Ed Pease reserved a cabin at the Philmont Training Center and we got to spend 4 days up in the snow in Scouting’s Paradise.

This was such a change to the prior week at the National Planning Meeting filled with no sleep, constant business, and lots of scout uniforms. Up in the mountains, we could relax and soak in the beauty of all the nature around us. We went skiing, hiked around the backcountry, Ed Pease even let us borrow his house one night (awesome place! featured in Su Casa magazine).

This group was especially significant, because in one way or another, these guys had been with me throughout my whole time in the OA and were some of the most inspirational people in my life. Joey was my section chief for two years and got me involved in leadership, serving as my mentor and guide for the past 4 years. I met Drew at the National Jamboree when we both worked on OA Shows staff. It was great meeting up with him again to catch up. I met Kieran at that Jambo also. As my region chief, Kieran was the greatest influence on me that I can remember. He was the ultimate role model and truly a great friend still to this day. Evan is simply epic. As my trail crew foreman, a fellow section chief, and my predecessor as national chief, Evan has been one of my closest friends in the OA. Ted is “the brother from Hawaii”. Never ceasing to amuse or inspire, every moment with Ted is entertaining. I can’t think of a better group to hang out with and I hope that week will serve as a good omen for the rest of the year.

I created this site to post my thoughts and experiences throughout my term as National Chief for the Order of the Arrow this year.I’m hoping to update this every week, so keep checking back.Thanks goes out to Evan Chaffee and Kieran Thompson for their help in setting this up.