From 1982 to 1993 the 7 Virginia-based lodges comprised Southeast Region Section 8 (SE-8). When the BSA reorganized their regional structure in 1993 the South Central and Southeast regions combined to form a new Southern Region. Nawakwa 3, Blue Heron 349, Kecoughtan 463, and Chanco 483 joined 10 lodges from North Carolina to form the new Southern Region Section 7 (SR-7).

SR-7 was the only new section that did not hold a conclave in 1993, instead waiting until the following year to hold their first section gathering. The initial SR-7 Conclave was hosted by Keyauwee Lodge 70 at Camp Wenasa in Brown Summit, NC.

The conclave in 1995 was hosted by Nayawin Rar 296 at Tuscarora Scout Reservation in Four Oaks, NC. They were originally scheduled to host the SR-7 Conclave in 1996, but the conclave rotation was changed to allow them to host the conclave during their 50th anniversary in 1995. Over 1,200 arrowmen were in attendance.

The conclave emblems for this event are unique in a number of ways that will interest collectors.

First, none of the conclave emblems include lodge numbers. The only clue to the host lodge in the design is the nighthawk, totem of Nayawin Rar.

Secondly, there are two design variations of the chevron-shaped pocket patch. The name of the annual SR-7 gathering was changed from “The Old North State Conclave” to “Cardinal Conclave” beginning in 1995 (the cardinal is the state bird of both North Carolina and Virginia). The original design features “Southern Region Section-7″ in yellow lettering at the top (see above). The later version adds a cardinal to the design of the patch on the left side and the lettering at the top of the patch is changed to “Cardinal Conclave Section-7″ in red (see below).

Other items issued for the conclave, including the neckerchief, hat pin, and jacket patch all feature the original design with yellow lettering and no cardinal.

In addition to explaining the yellow and red variations of the 1995 SR-7 conclave pocket patch Rick Horne provided a picture of a rare host lodge version of this patch that was a very limited issue. It also features the original design with yellow lettering and no cardinal.

Virginia OA lodges belonged to Section SR-7 for just four years. The 14 lodge region proved too large for lodges to travel easily to events like annual conclaves, so in a 1997 regional realignment Virginia members were reunited with Tutelo 161, Shenandoah 258, and Shenshawpotoo 276 (who had been in SR-6B) into a new SR-7A, while 6 of the Carolina lodges formed SR-7B and the remainder joined SR-5.

Although the Virginia lodges’ time in SR-7 was short, it was memorable. The July 1995 edition of the Kecoughtan Kryer described the conclave hosted by Nayawin Rar as having “patch trading beyond imagination” and reported that “the friendliness of the host lodge was overwhelming. It was all fun.”

Thanks to Rick Horne for the details about the SR-7 1995 Conclave pocket patch variations and Rob Higgins for his invaluable oasections.com site that tracks regional organization of the Order of the Arrow from inception until present.

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One Response to Varieties of the 1995 SR-7 conclave pocket patch

  1. Michael says:

    So any word on why the different writing colors? Was one a reorder, or perhaps to one came with a packet and the other sold in the trading post?

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