Lodge 233 Wa-Zi-Ya-Ta

Chartered

Lodge Totem

Council

Change

1943

Two wavy lines representing running water placed next to an arrow on an arrowhead.

Valley located in Menasha, WI

1974: Merged with Shaginappi 61, Sinawa 73, Chequah 194, Day Noomp 244, and Wolverine 501 to form Awase 61.

Wa-Zi-Ya-Ta Lodge 233 was an Order of the Arrow (OA) lodge associated with the Valley Council, which was headquartered in Menasha, Wisconsin. 

History and Key Milestones

  • Chartering: The lodge was officially chartered in 1943.

  • Anniversaries: Records indicate the lodge celebrated its 25th anniversary around 1968, marking a quarter-century of service to the Valley Council.

  • Symbolism: The lodge name "Wa-Zi-Ya-Ta" typically translates to "North" or "In the North" in Siouan languages. Its lodge flap patches often featured sky-blue backgrounds with embroidered pine trees and arrows.

  • Consolidation: The lodge eventually ceased to exist as an independent entity due to council realignments and mergers.

    • Formation of Bay-Lakes Council: Badger Council merged with councils from Oshkosh, Menasha, Green Bay, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan to form the Bay-Lakes Council.

    • Lodge Consolidation: Following the council merger, the OA lodges from these regions consolidated into a new, single lodge for the Bay-Lakes Council, Awase #61. 

Historical Context

  • Purpose: As part of the OA, Wa-Zi-Ya-Ta served as the "Honor Society of Scouting," recognizing Scouts who exemplified the Scout Oath and Law through "Brotherhood of Cheerful Service" (represented by the letters WWW on their insignia).

  • Lodge Number: The number 233 was assigned by the National OA committee to reflect the chronological order of the lodge's charter within the national organization.

The Valley Council, which was based in Menasha, Wisconsin, primarily used Gardner Dam Scout Camp. 

Key details about the camp and council include:

  • Gardner Dam Scout Camp

    • Founded in 1932, this camp is located on the banks of the Wolf River near White Lake, Wisconsin. It was a key facility for the Valley Council starting in the 1930s.

Source = Google