Meetings of a Lodge Unification Committee were held to make the joining as smooth and seamless as possible with little to no interruption of current lodge plans and activities.  Members of the Lodge Unification Committee consisted of Joey Ellis, Otena Chief; Robert Orchard, Kotso Chief; Korey Kennedy, Kotso Vice-Chief of Service; Aivars Jurkis, Kotso Lodge Adviser; Sam Mangrum, Otena Lodge Adviser; Jeremy Moon, Kotso Staff Adviser; and Les Zimmerman, Otena Staff Adviser.  The committee, following a contest for a new lodge name, selected the name "Penateka," which is a tribe of the Comanche Indians that lived in the area of the Texas Trails Council.  Pronunciation is " Pen-ah-took-uh."  The name means "Honey Eaters." 

On Saturday, December 13, 2003, a Celebration Banquet was held at the First United Methodist Church in Coleman to elect the new officers for the lodge and celebrate the signing of the new lodge charter papers.  Ninety-three Arrowmen and guests attended the Celebration Banquet at the First United Methodist Church in Coleman.   Seven officers were elected at the banquet by the youth Arrowmen in attendance.  The new Chief, Joey Ellis, along with the Adviser Aivars Jurkis and Supreme Chief of the Fire, Kent Brown, signed the charter for the new Lodge which will become effective January 1, 2004.  Each lodge had special historical displays on the history of their respective lodges with Otena presenting a power point presentation on its past and present history. 

Go to the link below for a history of the Penateka Indian name written by Steve Ellis of Brooksmith.

The former Kotso and Otena Lodges now operate as chapters for 2004 and it is planned by 2005 that there will be four chapters, one for each district in the Texas Trails Council. The first chapter to choose its name was the Kickapoo and Noreast Districts.  They chose the name "The Black Arrow Chapter" in honor of the first camp honor group in the former Comanche Trail Council.  Their first activity was held April 2-4, 2004 at Camp Billy Gibbons with some 80 Arrowmen in attendance.  It rained on them that Friday but Saturday and Sunday turned out as great days for service projects and fellowship. Their chapter chief is Jared Blair.

The former Kotso Lodge chose as its name "Tosa Tasiwoo Chapter" which translates to White Buffalo in the Comanche language.  It is phonetically spelled as TOH-sah tah-SEE-woo.  Their first big event was hosting the annual Webelos Lock in April 16-17, 2004.  Then on April 30 - May 2, they had a Tosa Tasiwoo Chapter Brotherhood Fellowship at Camp Tonkawa. Their first chapter chief is Korey Kennedy.

New Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil patches, designed by Charlie Moon, were issued.  Each registered Arrowman in the lodge could purchase up to five patches each, depending on their honor in the lodge.  The restriction applied only during the first six months of 2004. Charlie Moon received the first patch of each new design in appreciate of the work that he did in designing the patches.  The Scout Executive, Kent Brown, was presented with the second set of patches.  Each newly elected officer received a patch of his current honor in the lodge.

First Officers of Penateka Lodge

First lodge officers, who served until July 30, 2004 were:

L to R: Aivars Jurkis, Kent Brown, Cole Leatherwood, Chad Iley, 
Chris Harris, Robert Orchard, Joey Ellis, Les Zimmerman

L to R: Lodge Chief Joey Ellis; Les Zimmerman, Staff Adviser;
Kent Brown, Supreme Chief of the Fire

The new officers met and prepared a constitution and by-laws as well as developed a budget and calendar for the new lodge.  Each Chapter had selected a name for their chapter other than their former lodge name. 

Signing the new charter by Joey Ellis as Aivars Jurkis, Lodge Adviser looks on.

New Chief cutting the Celebration cake as Cole      Leatherwood and Chris Harris looks on, sorta.