LODGES OF W3B
TOLOMA LODGE - Greater Yosemite Council #59
Toloma

Toloma Website
www.bsa-gyc.org/sections/OrderoftheArrow

Greater Yosemite Council Website
www.bsa-gyc.org
History

At precisely "Ten-Ten on Ten-Ten," Toloma Lodge 64 burst into life.  On October 10, 1998, at 10:10 AM, Yo-Se-Mite Lodge 278 and Sumi Lodge 342 became one at Camp McConnell in Livingston, California.  This momentous occasion was celebrated by the last Chiefs from the two Lodges, each carried a flaming torch from their own Lodge's fire and together used them to kindle the flame that will burn in the Council fire of the new Toloma Lodge for many years to come.  Traditions of both Lodges are melding to form the traditions of the new Toloma Lodge 64.  The Lodge's name, "Toloma," comes from the Mi-Wuk meaning Lynx.  The totem of the Lodge is appropriately Lynx.  The Newsletter is the MissingLynx.

In the beginning, between the years of 1934 and 1944, an honorary camping society was formed for outstanding campers in the Yosemite Area Council.  This society was filled with ceremonies and rituals using Indian lore and thereby called "The Tribe of Yosemite."  During Summer Camp of 1944 at Camp MacBride, it was decided to affiliate with the Order of the Arrow.  Yo-Se-Mite Lodge 278 was officially chartered on August 23, 1944.  The members of The Tribe of Yosemite were blanketed in as chartered members to the Lodge.  Yo-se-mi-te comes from the Mi-Wuk Indian word Hu-Su-Mi-Te meaning large or grizzly bear, and the Lodge's totem became a grizzly bear catching a salmon in the water.  The Lodge's newsletter was appropriately named BearFacts.  In its 54-year history, the Lodge bestowed the Vigil Honor on 220 Brothers.

Sumi Lodge was first chartered on June 4, 1946 as Stanislaus Lodge 342.  The Lodge's first 7 members were tapped out in early June at Old Camp Baxter.  Although the first Lodge name was used for less than a year, officially on January 1, 1948, the name changed to Sumi which means ‘mule deer’ in the Mi-Wuk language.  The Lodge totem is the mule deer, which frequents the hills and valleys of the great San Joaquin Basin.  The Deer Tracks is the Sumi Lodge newsletter.  In its 52-year history, Sumi Lodge bestowed the Vigil Honor on 140 Arrowmen.