Are you proud to be a Arrowman?

[maddog96732]

Got this idea from another thread. But how many out there are Really proud to be Arrowmen. Or is the OA just another Scouting activity?

 

WWW,

 

Ken(This message has been edited by maddog96732)

[Fuzzy Bear]

I am proud to be a Scouter and the OA is part of it. A special part of it.

FB

[WAKWIB]

Yes I am proud to be an Arrowman. I entered (as an adult) a year ago, and I regarded being selected to go through the Ordeal as a high honor. The real honor of it was to be able to take part in the Ordeal with 6 great boys from the troop I serve. They were very excited about it, and in a sense I got to be one of them and share in their excitement. I'm looking forward to my continued participation with the Order of the Arrow.

[Proud Eagle]

I am proud to be a Scout (Scouter now).

 

I am proud to be an Eagle Scout.

 

I am also proud that I was elected by my peers to be a OA candidate, that I passed the Ordeal, that I sealed my membership with the Brotherhood, and that I was selected for the Vigil Honor.

 

I am proud of what I have done as an Arrowman, a record that includes ceremonies, conclave staff, service work, committee chairmanships, chapter offices, and being Lodge Chief.

 

My experiences in the OA have been an honor and a privildge, but they are also quite humbling.

 

And yet, what I have been asked to do for the Order in 2005 is even more of an honor and is even more humbling than what has come before.

[WAKWIB]

Proud Eagle, Just curious as to what your responsibility for 2005 is. You have a pretty impressive track record, so whatever it is, I'm sure you will do a great job.

[Proud Eagle]

I probably shouldn't say anything more just yet. Better for the lodge to know before a bunch of Scouters across the country do. Also, looking at that previous post, it would have been more accurate to say what the lodge or council is asking me to do, rather than what the Order is asking.(This message has been edited by Proud Eagle)

[purcelce]

OA was one of the major reasons for me to stay in Scouts as a youth.

My first summer camp experience with the OA was a Tap Out. I can still feel the drum beat,The older Scouts dressed in regalia spreading an awe over the camp.

 

I actually hold my Vigil Honor (that I got as a youth), in higher esteem than my Eagle, due to the fact that Vigil is bestowed on you and something you can't earn.

 

 

[isvirtual]

OA is a brilliant concept with a faulty implementation. Let me explain.

 

My son, who is now an Eagle scout was one of several boys in our troop who did not get nominated this year. He and the others were farther ahead on their advancement than most of the troop. He also does not attend the same middle school as the bulk of the troop.

 

During the weekend of the tapout, he had other commitments. My wife spoke to the scoutmaster about the tapout and his advice (knowing my son wasn't elected) was to be sure they attend the campfire. The two of them drove 1.5 hours (I was at wood badge training) and were humiliated. A smart SM would/should have suggested they not participate knowing it was a long drive and they were comign JUST for the tapout. I have lost respect for him because of this cruelty.

 

So... the troop election is just a popularity contest. The boys who were not nominated were far more qualified based on the posted quals. The election and subsequent handling by the SM left a bad taste in our mouths about OA. By the way, I am also an OA member. The ordeal was fascinating.

[SemperParatus]

I don't think "Pride" is the feeling. For me, I think it is "Humility". I am humbled by being selected by those that know me best, humbled by the tremendous dedication of the scouts and scouters that worked so hard to ensure the Ordeal experience is memorable, humbled by the fellowship found at workdays and other events, humbled by the high ideals and traditions of the OA, humbled that so many have blazed the trail before me and I have been given the opportunity to blaze it for those who follow, humbled by the calling to unselfish servanthood to make this world a better place for all people.

[Eamonn]

I have been an OA member for a very long time. For most of that time I was very much a "Flap Wearer". Sure I paid my annual dues and would attend about 50% of the weekends, but never really got involved.

OJ,my son is really involved and really enjoys his involvement with the Lodge. The last couple of years he has attended NLS Training and NOAC, he has never missed a weekend or meeting. His involvement in the OA and the Lodge are a very important part of what Scouting is to him.

I really don't have the time to take on very much more than what I am doing. There has been a move to try to get me to do more and a little while back I was asked to take on the Scoutreach Mentor program. I did take a look at it and took the time to write up some guidelines as how it might work with the Scoutreach set up we have in place in the Council, and heard nothing back.

One reason for my lack of involvement over the years has been that our Lodge has seemed to focus on camp improvements doing all sorts of construction projects. I don't enjoy that sort of thing and I'm not very good at it. That isn't to take anything away from the guys who do it and do a great job.

I'm overjoyed that OJ is getting as much out of his involvement and I'm happy with the new direction that the OA seems to be taking. But right now I average about 3 or 4 meetings a week, sometimes more. I see what I do at the Council, district and just lately the Area as coming before my involvement with the OA. I do enjoy going to the weekends for the fellowship, try really hard not to get involved with the little band who think because they have worked building the buildings and whatever that they have ownership of them. This small band of people really get up my nose and annoy me.

So while I like the OA and am aware that they can do a lot of good with and for our youth, right now my involvement is not the most important part of my being in Scouting. If anything I see myself as the proud Dad of a proud Arrowman.

Eamonn.

[Proud Eagle]

isvirtual,

 

I can understand your frustration. I think in your case it is the SM and other unit leaders who are likely the at the root of the problem. There may be problems in the chapter or lodge as well, but the SM has to make an effort for OA to mean what it is ment to in the unit or else no one else will see it properly.

 

The idea of having you drive several hours total is not at all friendly, or kind, or any number of other things. It is in fact somewhat rude. Even had your son been elected, he did not have to attend the tap-out. It is possible to skip the tap-out, though it adds to the experience and helps in some small way to prepare a person for later experiences.

 

 

Well, anywase, there are a great many things that are great in concept but sometimes come up a bit short in execution. In fact, all of Scouting is in that category, as are all the other youth programs I have ever been involved with. Sometimes things work well, sometimes they don't. It all depends on the people involved and what they are trying to do.

[9muckraker7]

I wouldn't really call it pride, but instead happiness. I'm happy to be an arrowman. I'm happy to have realized the true meaning of scouting through my experience in the OA. I'm happy to share in the fellowship of my lodge and the rest of the OA. I'm happy to provide service to others. I'm happy to seek the higher vision, and I'm happy to show others the vision of scouting.

 

Sure, all of these feelings could come with just being a scouter and not really an active member of the OA, but it was the OA that helped me realize all these great things about scouting, and it was the OA that inspired me to become involved. It was the OA that helped me to be a better person by living the scout law, and it was the OA that helped me to find meaning in my life.

 

Well, maybe it isn't just happiness, but also thankfulness to be part of the vision of scouting. I'm thankful to be a member of my lodge, and I'm thankful for this wonderful organization of scouts and scouters who also share my sentiments.

[567Eagle]

I guess I should have my 1st post in the right area, but I feel this is better.

 

Like others have said, I owe a lot to the OA. I was another that it helped keep my interest when I started to drift from my troop. Keep in mind, I did stay loyal to my unit and pressured others to do so. Even at the risk of not having more member at OA events.

One of the best things, I feel, about OA is the ability for "kids" to be able to communicate with others on how their unit does things. It makes the Scouts and the units better.

 

My chapter was fortunate to have a great advisor that really let us run with it; which was quite refreshing coming from a fairly strict unit. I moved quickly through the lodge holding positions of chapter secretary, lodge secretary, lodge chief for 2 years(passed on section chief to stay with lodge), and then to Lodge Dance Team advisor and Chapter ceremonies advisor.

 

isvirtual, thats a shame what happened, but don't blame the OA. Indeed, it sounds like you've got a fiesty SM thats to blame. Remeber members are selected by nonmembers. I didn't get in until I was 16(which felt LATE)but once I was in, I loved it.

 

Oh yeah, Extremely PROUD to be an Arrowman!

 

 

MD96732, How's maluhia nowadays?

[maddog96732]

Hello 567Eagle,

 

Maluhia Lodge is doing just great we made Quality Lodge this year for the 1st time in a while. We had an Adviser change in March and at that point we no where even close to reaching that point. We were so bad last year that we had 2 things from the Quality Lodge requirements done. Only 2 things now that was hard to take. So we all dug deep and we pulled it off f

[maddog96732]

finishing up LLD training at the December Fellowship. Also we go to exactly 30% Brotherhood Conversion that weekend too. I feel so happy for the boy's that they pulled it off. So next years Lodge Goals are to try to do all the Items on the list. I think after this year they are up for the challenge. Enough about our Lodge. Where are you from 567Eagle?