wojauwe

I'd like to second Trail finders suggestions.Make sure you have crew bylaws in place.State clearly what expectations you have for members and what the joining process is.It's good to have these things clearly defined and agreed on by the membership.Group chemistry is very important with a group of this size and you should have the tools to give you some control of it. It is true that the program is for the youth but it is the Adult leadership's responsability to insure that the "Guide to safe scouting" is followed.The situation you stated sends up red flags of potential youth protection issues.It's right for your CC to express concern.

Wow! I had no idea you faced such a logistical problem.I was thinking you just had the normal need for adult leadership.You need some very special driven people. We are so spoiled in our council,with a Seabase on the Columbia near where the Willamette joins up.It's closer to the main population center than any of our summer camps.

Eamonn Have you made contact with adults connected with these new recruits?Adult leaders from the troops and parents.With 40 youth prospects there should be a few good adult prospects who might catch the Sea Scouting bug.Sounds like you have some good salesmen for the program.Direct them in direction of the adults as well. Hang in there.Sounds to me like you've done an awesome job of starting what could become far more than you ever dreamed.New ships may come out of this but this need not be your job.You can train the leaders who will take this dream to next level. I'm sorry to hear that you have little support from SE or DE.That could change quickly if they become aware of the numbers you are adding to the scouting program.their jobs are directly linked to these numbers. Good luck and you do deserve cheers.Your only mistake was not being able to predict this unexspected success.

Oops! I used candidates instead of new members in above post.

At our ordeal's we always have a chapter orientation meeting,we will have members of our ceremonies team in regalia at this meeting to pump new candidates up.We also circulate an interest survey to new members and have them filled out and returned on the spot.This helps us know who to target with calls for specific jobs. often times our teams are running a ceremony multiple times,so we will invite the new candidates to stay as observers for the next ceremony.They get to see the team in the relaxed time and experiance the comraderie that a good team developes and watch them move into their ceremonial mode. DO NOT COUNT ON EMAIL ALONE,PERSON TO PERSON IS BEST WITH FOLLOW UP CALLS.Email is great for communicating information once you've gotten their interest.

Yes definitely.Though many people try to seperate Venturing from Boy Scouts, a Venturer is still a member of the BSA.If an adult were to have been elected into OA as a youth and became registered as a leader in Cub Scouts or Ventureing he could be an active OA member,as long as he's registered in a scouting unit that is part of the overall BSA program. Sorry Eamonn that I don't know of a publication to point you to,but as a Chapter Advisor for the past six years,I have seen this accepted by the Lodge,have seen a Venture leader selected for Vigil and that has to go through National.So all the evidence I've seen points to it being a true thing.

We do call out at our Spring camporee.We are encouraged to let candidates know as soon as they are elected to give time to plan going to ordeal our first ordeal is 2 weeks after camporee.Still we leave it up to troops since it's tradition in some troops to let it be a surprise when they are called off to ceremony site for callout.We make sure parents know though so they can work it in to schedule and try to insure that candidates make it to callout. We take care of paperwork as soon as election is done and get it turned in to lodge well before call out.This definitely has to take place no matter who does the callout. A formal ceremonial call out I feel to be the best way to go.Lodges have different dynamics depending on population densities,strength of lodge or chapter ceremonial programs.If at all possible chapter or lodge should do the callout. Sometimes the resources are not there and you do the best with what you have. I'm lucky our chapter has a very strong ceremonies program and we are in a very dense population center so it's not a big strain for people to make it to chapter callout. I know chapters though who are 50miles from side to side and have half dozen members.

Dang,got to quit double clicking

Call out is not a required event.It's simply a ceremonial way of informing new candidates.It's neat to have a ceremony that recognises them and encourages them to attend the required Ordeal within next calendar year.It's not something they have to go through.There are no requirements on this. There has been talk of National,putting out a standardised ceremony since there are as many or more call out ceremonies as there are chapters. The thought is by standadiseing it,we can be insured that the ceremony is conistant with OA traditions. Sorry off the point.Your troop doing callout because it's difficult to get candidates to Lodge event is fine,it's better than just getting the letter in the mail,which is all that is required.

Call out is not a required event.It's simply a ceremonial way of informing new candidates.It's neat to have a ceremony that recognises them and encourages them to attend the required Ordeal within next calendar year.It's not something they have to go through.There are no requirements on this. There has been talk of National,putting out a standardised ceremony since there are as many or more call out ceremonies as there are chapters. The thought is by standadiseing it,we can be insured that the ceremony is conistant with OA traditions. Sorry off the point.Your troop doing callout because it's difficult to get candidates to Lodge event is fine,it's better than just getting the letter in the mail,which is all that is required.

Lynda J, that would be awesome,that special personal touch is something lost to my chapter we had 145 candidates to call out at camporee and got complaints about it takeing too long when the names were read off as fast as possible.We only have tap out for Vigil.

John-in-KC True God is mentioned but not in a way that would represent any specific dogmatic system.It's very open,and like I said scout oath and law is the base and reverent is part of that.mmhardy was right on, when the proper atmosphere of solemnity is acheived you will find a religous experiance on your own terms.I've had the honor of observing all 4 ceremonies from preordeal to Vigil over a 60hr.period and yes God is spoken of but is not defined.

John-in-KC True God is mentioned but not in a way that would represent any specific dogmatic system.It's very open,and like I said scout oath and law is the base and reverent is part of that.mmhardy was right on, when the proper atmosphere of solemnity is acheived you will find a religous experiance on your own terms.I've had the honor of observing all 4 ceremonies from preordeal to Vigil over a 60hr.period and yes God is spoken of but is not defined.

The OA is scouting,even the ceremonies are scouting.Nothing that violates any scout rules or the scout law and oath takes place in the OA.The OA strives to exemplify these principles.So no blood letting.If a parent was concerned about their son going through a ceremony,the ceremony will not be kept secret from them.Our desire to preserve the mystery is superceeded by this concern the parent has for their son's safety.

ok let's get to the basics here. if you get any type of a religous impression,from an OA ceremony it was totally of your making. The OA is very carefull not to include any native american or any other religous elements in their ceremonies.There are no deities represented.There are human Principles who personify aspects of leadership and service.There is a deep respect for the out doors and nature but no worship. The OA ceremonies are tottally built on the scout law and oath and the most admirable qualities of being a good scout. Please educate your self before you bring the OA into your religous witch hunt.We are the brotherhood of cheerfull service and that is what our ceremonies reflect.No Gods are called on whether christian or pagan.You are given plenty of room to reflect on your own personal religous beleifs in the Solemn atmosphere of a well done ceremony.But you are never fed anybody's Dogma or deities.