In 1993 Lodge #537 was chartered with “No Lodge Name” and during the transition period, lodge flaps were issued that included the totems of both legacy lodges (complying with the “one lodge per council” rule but honoring the transition that was still taking place). The new territory spanned an 8 hour drive (border to border) and several meetings were held throughout the 4-county geographic area. Hundreds of hours were spent planning and organizing the merger, structure, and new by-laws with the final planning session held at Camp Masonite Navarro, in the California redwoods, starting a tradition of lodge fellowship weekends and bringing youth together to learn that the lodge becomes stronger when the bonds of brotherhood are shared.

Two intense years of planning and organizing finally came to a close with the formation of Orca Lodge #194. Orca Lodge held its first Lodge Dinner on January 6, 1994. It is only fitting that 194 was granted as the Lodge’s number, as it symbolizes the date (1/94) of the founding of the Lodge. The totem of the Lodge is that of the Killer whale, or Orca.