About Us
Following a period of some negotiation, the Long Rivers Council (LRC) and Indian Trails Council (ITC) merged in January 1995 to form a new Council that would eventually be named Connecticut Rivers Council (CRC). As a result of this merger, in Spring of 1995 at Camp Tadma, a joint Lodge meeting of Order of the Arrow Lodges Eluwak 59 (CRC) and Sassacus 10 (ITC) was held to discuss the merger of Lodges that would accompany the Council merger. Out of this meeting, a new merged Lodge would arise. The name of this Lodge would be TSCHITANI, which in Lenni Lenape is interpreted as “THE STRONGER ONE. ” The number 10 would be carried over from Sassacus Lodge as the lower number of the two Legacy Lodges. This was announced in Fall of 1995 at a joint Sassacus–Eluwak Conclave at June Norcross Scout Reservation. The new Lodge would be in Section NE-1B and the official charter was dated January 1, 1996. In 1997, Tschitani Lodge 10 was moved to Section NE-3A, returning in 2000 to Section NE-1B with a realignment of the Northeast Region. Further realignments would occur in 2008 (moved to Section NE-2A) and 2019 (Section E20). Jeff Godley (2000) and Patrick Boyd (2005) served terms as Section Advisers for NE-1B.
Tschitani Lodge has been a frequent participant in National and Section events. It has participated in every NOAC since its formation in 1996, winning several awards over the years. Additionally, Tschitani brothers have participated in OA Service Corps at National Jamborees at Fort A.P. Hill and the Summit; sent contingents to ArrowCorps 5 (2008), SummitCorps (2011), Indian Summer (2011), and to Puerto Rico to aid in rebuilding their Scout camp following a devastating hurricane. Tschitani has hosted several Section Conclaves through the years: 1996 NE-1B (June Norcross Scout Reservation), 2001 NE 1-B (JNW), 2009 NE-2A (JNW), 2015 NE 2-A (JNW), 2021 (Camp Mattatuck), and 2025 E20 (JNW).
The Lodge was able to keep functioning during 2019-2021 during a period of relative inactivity due to Eastern Equine Encephalitis (2019) and COVID-19 (2020-much of 2021) , which necessitated closures of Council camps and other facilities. In 2020, the Lodge was able to conduct Ordeals at all three Council camps under extreme situation, but thus kept going. During 2020, Tschitani Lodge welcomed its first female youth Ordeal members, the first of many to come.
Historical Narrative by Dave Rohlfing, Assoc. Lodge Adviser
Distinguished Service Award Recipients
| Patrick Boyd | 2001 Northeast Region Chief |
| Jon Hagenow | 2017 Northeast Region Chief |
| Alex Pillis | 2022 Eastern Region Chief |
| David Moskal | |
| Jeff Godley |
Tschitani Lodge Advisers
| 1993-2003 | Bob Olenick (including time as Eluwak Adviser) |
| 2003-2011 | Marshall Berger |
| 2011-2014 | Patrick Boyd |
| 2015-2019 | John “Hoss” Haskell |
| 2019-2023 | Rob Schwarzhaupt |
| 2023-2025 | John Riley |
| 2025-Present | Kevin Rame |
Tschitani Lodge Chiefs
| 1996 | Brian Dabkowski |
| 1997-1998 | Patrick Boyd |
| 1999-2000 | Paul Dabkowski |
| 2001-2002 | Paul Messier |
| 2003 | J. Barton Haskell |
| 2004 | Brian Gorman |
| 2005 | Alex Whitney |
| 2006-2007 | Billy Scalpen |
| 2008 | Mike Alicea |
| 2009 | Mark Salinas |
| 2010 | Jared Sillman |
| 2011-2012 | Nate Holmy |
| 2013-2014 | J. David Gauthier |
| 2015 | John Hagenow |
| 2016-2017 | Andrew Work |
| 2018 | Josh Lambert |
| 2018 | Matt Lyons |
| 2019-2020 | Alex Pillis |
| 2021 | Liam Whittle |
| 2022-2023 | Jon Steinbrecher |
| 2024-2025 | John Platt |
| 2026 (Present) | Drew Carmon |