About Us | Daniel Taylor Group

History

In 2001, the Senior Council of the Order of the Feather Fraternity, a then 50-year-old rites of passage and youth development organization founded at Camp Minisink in 1946, sought to establish a non-profit corporation. The original idea was to incorporate the fraternity to advance its independence and prepare for a future of service; however, following the advice of attorneys at Chadbourne and Park, LLC, (now Norton Rose Fulbright LLP), a unique non-profit was created. Thus, the Order of the Feather, Incorporated was conceived.

In 2002, Mr. George Lucas, contacted Lawyers’ Alliance—a non-profit organization that assists community groups by identifying pro bono law firms to handle their cases. Lawyers’ Alliance identified Chadbourne and Park LLP. Mr. Louis Manzo Esq. was the lead attorney on the case. The original board members were Mr. Michael A. Hatchette, Mr. Rodney A. Beckford, Mr. Courtney A. Bennett, and Mr. Raymond S. Johnson. Throughout the process, the fraternity worked with the board to bring the incorporated entity into existence. Mr. Bennett was the Chairman of the Senior Council of the Order of the Feather Fraternity when the process of incorporation began. When it was filed and approved in 2005, that position belonged to Mr. Johnson.

The date of incorporation of the Order of the Feather, Incorporated is September 28, 2005. Mr. Hatchette, the first Senior Council Chairman of the Order of the Feather Fraternity, was elected as the first President of the Order of the Feather, Incorporated.

Shortly after being established as a New York State Corporation, Mr. Hatchette led the board through the application process to become a tax-exempt corporation. With the assistance of Mr. Manzo, that status was granted on March 28, 2008.

To avoid confusion with the Order of the Feather Fraternity, the board of directors of the Order of Feather, Incorporated officially began doing business as the Daniel Taylor Group in 2009.

Daniel Taylor was a co-founder of Camp Minisink in 1929. He worked alongside Ms. Alberta T. Kline until his death in 1945. Among his contributions were the creation of the Camp Minisink Regimental Band in 1937 and origination of the Order of the Feather Fraternity in 1945. The board chose Mr. Taylor to honor our Minisink roots and memorialize the man without whom there would be no Order of the Feather.

The purpose of the Daniel Taylor Group is to assist youth development programs, like the Order of the Feather Fraternity, that prepare young people for the future using innovative leadership training models. The Phoenix Sorority, Impact Repertory Theater, Pen and Scroll Military Fraternity, the Brooklyn Knights Football team and other Camp Minisink derived programs are other examples of organizations that have benefited from the work of the Daniel Taylor Group.

Statement of Purpose

The Order of the Feather, Incorporated is an outgrowth of the Order of the Feather—a youth organization founded in 1946 for the purpose of building character and developing leadership skills in young men from New York City. Although that initial organization ceased to meet in 1982, many of its members desired to further its aims by providing activities to the community at large. In 1991, these members organized themselves for the purpose of promoting community service through the development of character and leadership skills in Young Men. The Order of the Feather, Incorporated is the result of their efforts.

Since 1991, the Order of the Feather has worked with over 300 youth. Their primary activity has been an annual youth development and leadership training program for boys ages 14 through 18. The program features both individual and group activities. Group activities are delivered through Impact Sessions (inter-active group discussions, trips, lectures, etc.) that focus on a variety of topics including personal growth, adolescent health and hygiene, the importance of academic proficiency, politics, activity planning and personal money management. Individual activities are delivered through one-on-one or small group mentoring activities that are strengthened by the relationship of the mentors’ past participation in the program.

Since 1991, this 100% volunteer program has provided hundreds of hours of community service to numerous community based organizations including New York City Mission Society, New Heritage Theater, Camp Minisink, Osborne Associates, and the NYC Adopt-a-Highway Program.

In 1994, the Order of the Feather caused the formation of the Phoenix Sorority of Minisink which is a leadership organization for young women. The Phoenix Sorority has served over 100 women since its inception.

It is the intent of the Order of the Feather, Inc. to use public and private funds to create and implement programs that support the academic, physical, spiritual and mental well being and cultural awareness of community residents—with a particular focus on young men. Projected activities in furtherance of the purpose include cultural, recreational and educational trips, tutoring college preparation, mentoring and recreational activities.

Purposes

To serve the community by developing the moral and social character of young men.
To form a fraternal order committed to extending the principles of leadership and services to others.
To aid in the growth and development of the community by initiating and promoting better community services including, but not limited to, the creation and implementation of programs that support the academic, physical, spiritual and mental well-being and cultural awareness of community residents – with a particular focus on young men. Projected activities in furtherance of this purpose include cultural, recreational and educational trips, tutoring, college preparation, mentoring, and recreational activities.
To promote the characteristics of courtesy, friendliness, honesty, integrity, excellence in achievement and cleanliness of spirit and body.
To raise funds, to sponsor benefits and fund-raisers, to solicit donations and grants, to borrow funds, and to secure mortgage for the purposes of covering expenses incurred by the program and obtaining operating funds.
To acquire real and personal property by gift, grant, devise, bequest, purchase, lease or otherwise, and to dispose of real and personal property by sale, lease or otherwise, subject to the provisions of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law for the carrying out of its corporate purposes.
The purpose or purposes of the corporation are exclusively charitable within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) or any future corresponding Section of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Code”).
The corporation is not limited to the above activities, and may engage in the conduct of any lawful activity incidental to, connected with or in advancement of the foregoing not-for-profit and exempt purposes.

Officers

President – Nathan A. Ford

Secretary – Dwayne Brown

Vice President – Avon Morgan
Treasurer – Victor Fleming