OA Troop Visitation Guideline
Tutelo Lodge 161
The following is part of Tutelo Lodge’s new philosophy on the OA. For quite some time, our Lodge has struggled with the Quality Lodge Requirements in both fields of Brotherhood Conversions and in Positive Growth, which comes from brothers paying their Dues. So starting in 2009, we will be placing much greater emphasis on our troops. It is believed that by visiting the Troops and expanding our influence during our annual Troop Election, we will garner better relations and a better image with the troop, which will encourage them to become more involved with the Lodge and local Chapter.
For Starters, this visitation must include a MINIMUM of 3 Brothers from the Chapter and 1 of them must be an adult. An ideal team would include the Chapter Chief, Chapter Advisor, and Unit Elections Chairmen. However, the titles of the Brothers in the OATV are not important as long as those giving the presentations are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Of course, a presentation team that includes more Brothers gives a better vibe, so please do not limit yourselves to three.
Upon arrival, the Brother who will be conducting the election (or who was in contact with the Troop to establish the date and time of election) should politely introduce themselves, their title, and the members of the team. For the Brothers who are not Chapter Chief or Unit Elections Chair, etc., you can easily state, “Hello, my name is (insert name here) and I am a Brother from (your Chapter name). Any title in the Chapter or Lodge that somebody holds is beneficial to the aura of the team as it tells something about you. The Scoutmaster will listen to you and see you as a leader of something, no matter what it is. Remember, a Scout is Courteous, so please be at the meeting on time. Preferably be there ten minutes before the meeting starts to show the Troop that you mean business.
After introductions, you should ask the Scoutmaster to introduce the OA Troop Representative. It is very likely that the troop does not have an OATR, in which case you should politely explain the importance of a Troop Rep. Some Troops are the same year in and year out in that they have an Election, get Tapped Out at our Summer Camps, show up to the Fall Ordeal and take their Ordeal, leave right after the ceremony or dinner, and never come back to another Function. Honestly, you cannot be upset by this because this is likely the precedent that their troop has set, for whatever reason. So a challenge to your team is to change this and make a troop more involved. The National Order of the Arrow website has listed the duties and expectations of the OA Troop Rep as follows.
The Order of the Arrow Troop Representative is a youth liaison serving
between the local OA lodge or chapter and his troop. In his unit, he helps meet
the needs of the unit and will serve as a communication and programmatic link to
and from Arrowmen, adult leaders and Scouts who are not presently members of the
Order. He will do this in a fashion that strengthens the mission of the lodge,
purpose of the Order and the mission of the Boy Scouts of America. By setting a
good example, he will enhance the image of the Order as a service arm to his
unit.
OA Troop Representative Duties:
Qualifications:
• Under 18 years old
• Appointed by SPL with SM approval
• OA Member in good standing
Reports To:
• Assistant Senior Patrol Leader
Flow of Information
The following is a list of information that needs to flow between the OA Troop
Representative and the Lodge or Chapter:
Lodge/Chapter to Unit:
• Lodge/Chapter Calendars
• Unit Elections visit
• Camp Promotions visit
• Community service project opportunities
• Invitations to Ordeal members to obtain Brotherhood membership
• Invitations to candidates to attend their Ordeal
• Resource lists
• OA Representative Registration Forms
• Encourages OA members to be active in their Lodge and Chapter
Unit to Lodge/Chapter:
• Does the unit conduct monthly campouts?
• Does the unit attend a long-term camp?
• Do the unit’s older scouts participate in high adventure programs?
• Does the unit need assistance with its outdoor program?
• Does the unit need assistance with community service projects?
• Does the unit need assistance with training?
• Do the unit’s OA members participate in Lodge and Chapter functions?
• Name of the new OA Troop Representative
• Reaction of the Troop members to the Lodge and Chapter program
This list is an excellent tool for talking to the Scoutmaster. Oftentimes the Scoutmaster will ask you, “We just don’t see the need to have a Troop Rep because they don’t seem to do anything.” This is great for answering. With this in hand, it should not be hard to convince the Scoutmaster to have an OA Troop Rep, as it a properly executed office as OATR provides benefits to the Troop and its members in many ways as well as providing many new opportunities to OA members in the troop.
The next procedure for your team should be to sit down with the OA Troop Rep for a few minutes and ask him how he has handled his job. You can ask questions such as, “What has been your favorite part of this position?” or, “Why did you take this position.” Oftentimes the OATR will not have done their job, so you do not want to come across as overbearing or bossy. You just need to subtly let them know that their job is important for all parties involved, the Lodge, the Chapter, the Scouts, the Troop Rep himself, and the Troop.
If there is no Troop Rep, then the one who is most eager to commit to the time and effort necessary should take it. You can use a few minutes to encourage him and explain to him how important he will be. Once again, you cannot come across as overbearing or make it seem as if the job is too much responsibility to handle. If a Scout who already holds a position wants to take the job on, let them. A scout with eagerness and a sense of pride and commitment will beat out a Scout with talent but lack of care any day in any position.
With the Troop Rep secured, you should have him IMMEDIATELY fill out the Tutelo Lodge Troop Rep Form. Make sure he knows that it is important to have a valid email to check. This would also be a good time to have the Scoutmasters contact information written down and stored with the Troop Rep form for future reference (especially if the OATR is not completing their duties). Once the form is filled out, have the OA Troop Rep split the Troop up into three separate groups. The first will be the Order of the Arrow members of the Troop. The second is the Youth members of the Troop who are not in the Order of the Arrow. The third group should consist of all of the adults and parents of the Troop present (including adult OA members).
These groups should be separate from each other and they should be placed as far out of earshot of each other as possible. For the OA members here is a rundown of what should happen:
Ø Introduce yourself. The person who is talking to the OA members should have a good working knowledge of the OA, so this will probably be the most veteran OA member.
Ø Make a point to shake hands with each member using the OA handshake and ask each one for their names. Psychologically, this gives you a much greater advantage as they feel as if you are speaking directly to them instead of to a group, making your presentation seem more appealing rather than White Noise. Try your best to remember their names.
Ø Take note of which members are actually there and which members are not. For those who aren’t, inquire politely if they are active in Scouting and if their missing the meeting is irregular. This is important because sometimes a Scout will miss a meeting but still need to know this information.
Ø Start out with Dues. You should have the Troop Roster of all the Order of the Arrow Members. For those who have already paid, thank them for being an active member of the OA and make a point to remember them, especially if they are one of few to pay. Talk about the importance of paying dues as you are considered an Inactive member if you have not, and you are not allowed to wear a Sash or Flap otherwise.
Ø Call out each name and state if they have or have not paid their dues. Look at them in the eyes as they answer. If they have not paid, they will feel guilty making them much more likely to pay their dues, but you will not come across as overbearing or wrong by doing this.
Ø For those who have not paid, hand them a form and have them fill the form out right there. Even if they do not have the money to pay at the time, have them fill it out so they will remember that exerted the effort to fill it out and therefore will be more likely to remember the fee later on.
Ø Next move on to Brotherhood Conversions. Check your list and call out the names of those who are eligible to take their Brotherhood, once again making eye contact. Explain the importance of sealing your membership in the Order of the Arrow. Some good talking points in this section can include a new wealth of information as well as distinguishing yourself even more as an Honor Camper.
Ø Our Lodge Website explains Brotherhood membership qualifications as: To become a Brotherhood member, you must first remain active and registered in your Scouting unit. In addition, you must keep your dues paid in the Order of the Arrow. After 10 months have passed since your Ordeal, you become eligible to take your Brotherhood.
Ø With these things in mind, you should have a calendar of Lodge events handy stating that members can take their Brotherhood at any Function, Summer Camp (in-council only), and special Chapter Events (if any). Giving a solid date makes the event seem more real rather than a vague statement, “any Lodge event or camp”.
Ø After getting a verbal commitment by each scout to take their Brotherhood as soon as possible, you should use this time to discuss Chapter meetings. You should talk about what happens at a meeting, why it’s important to attend, where and when the meeting takes place, and what incentives there are (such as free food or games). You should strongly encourage them to “make their voice heard” and to make the Order of the Arrow, “their own vision.” Phrases such as this give the Scout a feeling of mutual importance between themselves and the Chapter.
Ø You should also talk about the opportunities at Functions. This could be a fun discretionary section that could include pictures, stories, or simple discussion and questions. At any rate, there should be plenty of time to answer questions about functions. At this point you should mention the Ride-Share program that Tutelo has on our website, www.tutelo161.org. Let them know that even if nobody else from their troop wants to go, they should not feel restrained and should go if they want to.
Ø With the mention of the website, talk very briefly on the importance of checking it every once in awhile for news and updates.
Ø At this point you should discuss briefly the role of an OA member in the Troop, using words such as “Honor-Camper” and “Setting the Example for younger Scouts”. Let them know that the OA doesn’t take place just at OA events, and you should remind them of the Obligation that they undertake. If you feel like it you can go through the Obligation to remind them of what they promised.
Ø At this point, you should tell them how you first got involved in the OA. For example, the first Chapter meeting that I ever attended, I was assigned the duty of Unit Elections Chairman. I was worried, and quite frankly a little mad that I had been appointed to this with no knowledge. However, seeing that it was my responsibility, I took the time to learn what the duty required, and made it my own. By next fall, I volunteered to Chair again, and I expanded the committee. It became something fun to do with my friends in the Chapter, and we began to look forward to it. Within a year, I was elected Lodge Secretary, and worked my way up eventually to Lodge Chief. An individual story such as this relates you to them and makes them realize that you were just like them at one point.
Ø You should close up by asking for questions. Be patient and answer any questions as thoroughly as possible. If they are asking questions, then they are starting to get hooked and they are hungry for more knowledge. Don’t worry if they have no questions because they may just be overwhelmed for a while. Let them know that they can contact you for any questions and that their OA Troop Rep should be able to answer any questions.
By going through ALL of these steps, you will have secured a positive and exciting image of the OA. There are so many things that you could talk about, but the attention span of a 14 year old probably is not that long. Plus, you don’t want to throw so much information at them that they are bored and become unfocused. Remember that it is important to come across as friendly, knowledgeable, and authoritative.
Adult Involvement with
the Order of the Arrow
One of the key components of the Order of the Arrow is the involvement of adults. Even though it is a youth-run organization, adults are vital to the development of the youth officers and to the overall effectiveness of the organization. Because of this, it is critical that we focus our attention on the Adult Leaders of our Council to better our program.
Some of adults feel that they are drivers to events for Scouts, and that they serve no other person. This should NEVER be the case, and it is our objective to show the Order of the Arrow that we know to the Adult Leaders. When you arrive to the meeting, this would be the group that your adult OA leader takes. This group should consist of all Scoutmasters, Committee Members, and parents that are present.
The Brother who leads this session has a lot of flexibility on what is discussed, but there are a few things that must be covered. A guideline table should go as follows
Ø Introduction of course comes first. You should introduce yourself, your troop, your OA title if any, and a brief introduction of what you do or where you are from. I believe that by stating some slightly personal descriptions, the Troop that you are visiting will connect a little more. Many of the adults over the years have felt some displeasure with the OA because they feel that it is very selective towards adults, so please make it comfortable for them.
Ø These are many facts of the OA and of the Lodge that you can use. The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 at Treasure Island Scout camp in Pennsylvania. Two of the camp’s leaders, E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson, felt that they needed a way to honor the best campers from the week of summer camp. They devised a theme based off of the local Delaware Indians that had once inhabited the camp grounds. On the last night of the camper week, they held a ceremony in the northern part of the camp and inducted the first ever members of the Order of the Arrow.
o The Order of the Arrow eventually became an official part of the Boy Scouts of America, and in the 1990’s, it was officially dubbed as the “Honor Campers of Scouting”. The Order is based off three main principles, Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service and there are currently more than 183,000 members today.
o Most every council has their own separate Lodge that is intertwined with the Council in many ways. Usually, Lodges are divided into Chapters, which correspond with the local Districts.
o Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains Council, we are affiliated with Tutelo Lodge 161. Our Chapter here is the (your Chapter).
o The Order of the Arrow is a very unique organization because each member elected to the organization is elected by both members and non-members of their own troop.
Ø It is estimated that each hour of service that the Order of the Arrow completes is worth $17. With this number in mind, Tutelo Lodge can produce up to $30,000 in service at a single weekend function to the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation, an absolute necessity to our Council.
Ø Adults are vital to the Order of the Arrow in many ways
o Youth cannot drive, and there are many youth in the Order who do not have a ride
o If a parent is not in the Order of they are not attending a function, each youth must have an adult sign as their temporary guardian for the weekend.
o Youth are not allowed to use power tools, so many of the Reservations buildings must be built by adults.
Ø Each Chapter and Committee has an Advisor, who serves as a guide to a youth Chapter Chief or Committee Chairmen to assure that they are heading in the right direction. The Committees of the Lodge include Activities, Inductions, Indian Affairs, Elangomat, Service, Membership, Publications, Trading Post, and Vigil Selections. Each of these Committees serves an important role in the Lodge’s mission to live through Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service, and their advisors are equally important to their success as the youth.
Ø This Youth/Advisor relationship serves to better the youth in many ways. It gives them more experience in working with adults, and makes them more comfortable in this way. It also helps the youth in their bridging process from childhood to adulthood. An adult that the youth can frequently rely on to give advice in more than just OA matters is very helpful.
Ø Recent Projects that have been completed on the Reservation that have been completed by the Order include:
o Claytor Lake: Preparation for the Camp’s inaugural year such as fixing the Kitchen equipment, landscaping the entire camp, building pieces of the docks and the staircases to them, and more.
o Camp Powhatan: Chainsaw work on entire camp after a huge thunderstorm dropped hundreds of trees across the camp, the Blob Tower, Alapocus Ceremonial Ring, Scoutcraft Shelter, annual de-winterizing, Campsite expansions, and more.
o Camp Ottari: Trading Post renovations, Waterfront Villa, Onion Ring Bench work, Brotherhood Ring, Trail defining and cleaning, Bridge to Onion Ring, Climbing Wall, and more.
Ø There are so many small but meaningful important projects that we complete each and every year, and there are many more to be done in the future that will be used for years to come.
The role of the Adult is such an important one in the Order of the Arrow, and the Adult Leader that is giving this should be very flexible and encouraging. Towards the end of the presentation, mentions should be made of the Tutelo Lodge website, www.tutelo161.org, the Ride Share portion online, Chapter meetings, and Dues collections along with Brotherhood Conversions. There should be a question and answer session as well, as the Adults will probably have plenty of questions. If you can convince the Adults to buy into the Order and its programs, then they will spur the youth to become more involved and active in what we do.
Non-member Youth in the
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is a very unique organization because both Members and Non-Members participate in the Elections. Elections are to take place during the OATV, so it is important that the Scouts who are not in the Order of the Arrow know exactly what they voting for.
The majority of these Scouts are probably in their first year in Scouting, and therefore will be participating in their first election. The first priority is to alert them of what exactly the Order of the Arrow is. So, like the Adults Meeting, you will go over it.
Ø The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 at Treasure Island Scout camp in Pennsylvania. Two of the camp’s leaders, E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson, felt that they needed a way to honor the best campers from the week of summer camp. They devised a theme based off of the local Delaware Indians that had once inhabited the camp grounds. On the last night of the camper week, they held a ceremony in the northern part of the camp and inducted the first ever members of the Order of the Arrow.
o The Order of the Arrow eventually became an official part of the Boy Scouts of America, and in the 1990’s, it was officially dubbed as the “Honor Campers of Scouting”. The Order is based off three main principles, Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service and there are currently more than 183,000 members today.
o Most every council has their own separate Lodge that is intertwined with the Council in many ways. Usually, Lodges are divided into Chapters, which correspond with the local Districts.
o Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains Council, we are affiliated with Tutelo Lodge 161. Our Chapter here is the (your Chapter).
o The Order of the Arrow is a very unique organization because each member elected to the organization is elected by both members and non-members of their own troop.
You should answer questions about this, as they will probably want to learn more. At this point, you should go over the three Honor levels of the Order so that they are familiar with what the sashes mean when they see them.
Ø Ordeal: The Ordeal Honor level is the first level, and the one that they will be voting to give their troop members eligibility to earn. Upon successful election into the Order of the Arrow, a Scout must complete the Ordeal, which is a series of tests on the Scout in their Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service. This is a secretive process, and you must express absolute secrecy on this. They will be hungry for knowledge on this, and hopefully, they will perk up and pay more attention. After their Ordeal, the Scouts become members of the Order of the Arrow and are entitled to wear the Ordeal Sash, which is the white sash with a red arrow.
Ø Brotherhood: After ten months of learning the customs and traditions of the Order, a Brother can seal their membership by taking their Brotherhood. In taking their Brotherhood, they learn more about the Order of the Arrow, and successfully that they know the history and traditions of the Order. They also are entitled to wear the Brotherhood Sash, which is the white sash with the red arrow, with bars on both sides of the arrow.
Ø Vigil Honor: The Vigil Honor is one the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow on a Brother. After two years of Brotherhood membership, and active involvement, one becomes eligible for the Vigil Honor. The Vigil is a mark of distinguished service to scouting, and it exemplifies true leadership. A special committee including a representative encompassing each of the eight Chapters selects the Brothers. Each Lodge can bestow this honor upon only one member per every fifty in the Lodge. The Vigil is steeped in mystery and is a very meaningful experience to all involved. Upon successful completion of the Vigil, a Brother receives their Vigil Name, a Native American name that mirrors them, The Vigil necklace for commemoration of the event, and the Vigil Sash, which the white sash, red arrow and bars, and a triangle in the middle of the arrow.
The three honor levels distinguish the Brothers commitment to the Order, but every member is important to the goal of the Order of the Arrow. The OA is exemplified as the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service, and these are the three points of the Order. Our mission is to provide service to our local area, and especially our own council, in a united front, while displaying happiness in hard work.
Members of the Order of the Arrow are considered leaders of Scouting, and they have the distinction of being the “National Honor Society of Scouting” and the “Scouting’s Honor Campers”. OA members are often the Senior Patrol Leaders of their Troop, and Eagle Scouts are usually always members of the Order.
In the election, the following Qualifications are observed to eligibility. A Scout must be a member of Scouting for two years. They must have been camping for at least fifteen days and nights, and you must have done at least one full week of a Boy Scout summer camp. It is also required to be a First Class Scout. To hold an election, the troop must have at least 50% of its members in attendance, and to be elected, the Scout must receive at least fifty percent of those in attendance. Those eligible to vote are all current members of the Troop who are younger than eighteen years of age. If you are a younger member of the troop and still feel as if you do not know the candidates well enough, or that you aren’t sure what qualifies the candidates for this organization, then you may abstain your vote, and it will not count either for or against anybody. If you feel that nobody is eligible, then you may turn in a blank ballot. The voting process is secret and there should be no discussion of votes, or the election will be voided, and no Scout elected will be able to take their Ordeal.
The Order of the Arrow presents many opportunities to Scouts across the nation including special events at Northern Tier, Florida Sea Base, and Philmont for reduced prices. There are also more camping opportunities throughout the year at our local council camps, as well as a chance to visit other camps across Virginia at the annual Conclave. Members of the Order of the Arrow enjoy Scouting much more, and the ones that take advantage of all the opportunities have great Scouting careers, and oftentimes carry their careers into becoming Adult Order members.
At this point, you should open up the floor for discussion and questions. Remember, you are here to give a brief outline of what the Order is about and to show it in a positive light, and not to reveal everything about it, as the Order is to be vague and mysterious. You should prompt the Scouts to be interested in the Order, and to seek to better themselves to hopefully one day successfully be elected.
At this point, when all three groups are done, you should reconvene the Troop to complete the Election. You will use the new election script, and deliver it in a positive way. Upon the conclusion of the election, you should take the ballots to a private area (a separate room if possible) and count them. Make sure to include all of your election team and have them verify the election by signing that they witnessed the ballot counting. Upon the conclusion of the election, have the Scoutmaster give his approval.
You should thank the Troop for their time, and remind the OA members of their dues at this point. Shake hands with the OA Troop Representative for his work and for his future work, and most importantly, shake hands with the Scoutmaster and thank him or her. Leave your contact information so that they will have the opportunity to contact you, and then depart.
The Order of the Arrow is presented with a great opportunity to present itself to the Troops each and every year. We are able to take care of Dues, Brotherhood Conversion, Order Promotion, Function Promotion, Conclave Promotion, Future Member Development, and we give a great opportunity for questions to be answered to Members, Non-Members, and Adult Leaders. With your help, we can make OATV a success that will generate Tutelo success for years to come!