Wauna La-Mon’tay Lodge kicked off 2025 with an exciting and amazing event: the Wauna Inductions and Ceremonies Conference (WICC)! Members of the lodge gathered at Camp Meriwether from Jan. 24-26 to dive deep into the traditions of ceremonies, the role of Elangomats, and everything involved in the induction process. This year’s theme, The Fifteen Blazes, resonated strongly throughout the weekend.
The weekend began on Friday night with a campfire program and scavenger hunt that set a fun, welcoming tone, followed by a fantastic pre-Ordeal ceremony demonstration. On Saturday morning, the sessions began after breakfast, exploring a variety of topics, including the details of the Ordeal ceremony, the responsibilities of an Elangomat, and strategies for effective unit elections and callout ceremonies.
After lunch, the hands-on workshops were in full swing, allowing attendees to get personalized coaching and certification, along with plenty of practice in the various ceremonies. The WICC workshops offered valuable skills and leadership training. Sessions covered mentoring, training techniques, expanding involvement, and refining inductions. Creative workshops like drumming and candle making highlighted OA traditions, while election trainings, building the circle and fire building focused on leadership and teamwork.
Saturday evening featured a powerful Ordeal ceremony demonstration after dinner, followed by two Brotherhood ceremonies that inducted about 30 members into the Brotherhood Honor. The weekend wrapped up on Sunday morning with a heartfelt Scouts’ Own service, led by our chaplain, providing a moment of reflection before everyone departed.
All in all, WICC 2025 was a huge success, setting the stage for an exciting induction season. We’re already looking forward to next year’s conference!
