Cowikee Lodge 224 Vigil Pin & Arrow

Cowikee Lodge 224 of Dothan, AL was blessed with the good fortune of having Mr. Gene Ramage as their first Vigil Honoree.  He kept his Vigil at the 1952 Va Conference and was given most appropriately the name "First in the Dance" as 224's first Vigil.  From here he would go on to a long and rewarding service to his Lodge, Council, Camp and Region.  Among the Scouts he mentored were DSA Awardee Morgan Weed who was Killed in Action in Cambodia, May 1970 and his friend Frank Gainess III.  Morgan kept his Vigil in July 1961 and was known as "In The Woods". In October Frank kept his Vigil at the Boy Scout Reservation (later Camp Alaflo) and was known as "In The Pines".  Thus was their connection to one another in the Lodge, as friends and followers of Gene Ramage.

Gene decided sometime in the late 1950's or 1960 to start a tradition of presenting a specially made Vigil Pin of Cross Calumets to each Vigil Honoree.  The Pin was made by a local jeweler in Dothan, AL and had a small chain with a clasped Arrow attached.  On the reverse of the Vigil Trianagle was the Vigil Honoree's name.  The above pictured Pin belongs to Mr. Frank Gaines III and was exactly like those of other 1960's Honorees.  Sometime in the mid to late 1960's this tradition ceased so taking into account all who kept their Vigil with Cowikee during this time there is likely less than 50 of these Pins.  Making it as valuable or more so than most Caldwell OA Pins from the 1920's - 40's.  And you thought a "Three Cloud" Patch was rare!