Vigil Selection Process

[9muckraker7]

Has a new vigil nomination/selection process been imposed by national? It used to be that anyone could nominate someone for the vigil honor, but now I hear that this nomination process is now the responsibility of a special lodge "committee". Would anyone know anything about this?

[maddog96732]

Hello and Merry Christmas,

 

As far as nominating someone for the Vigil Honor it is open to every Lodge Member including adults. As far as the selection goes, it is done by a Vigil Selection Committee. This is appointed by the Lodge Chief and with consultation from the Lodge Adviser. And approved by the Scout Exec. The Selection Committee is made of Youth Arrowmen that hold the Vigil Honor them selves and also should include other Youth that are not yet eligible to get the Vigil Honor. They review all the nominations and select the correct amount from the nomination chart (number of Arrowman chartered during last years renewal) making sure that the ratio of boys to adults receiving the Vigil Honor is no more the 50%. Since when bestowing this Honor preference should be given to Youth. After the selection is made then the committee selects there Vigil Honor Name from the Lenni Lenape word dictionary. Then paper work is submitted for proper signatures from the Lodge Chief and Scout Exec. And then send the application in to national with proper fee to National. Hope this helps.

 

Aloha,

 

Ken

 

[NWScouter]

In the lodge where I'm a vigil member, they keep the Vigil Selection committee members secret. This is to keep from having lobbying, I gather it had been quite strident years ago. I have never seen a formal open nomination process.

[scoutldr]

Just like with the District awards, any member in good standing can nominate someone for the Vigil Honor. However, few do. Nominating someone requires that you know the person's "resume" and can adequately describe their contributions in writing. Many worthy people are never submitted to the selection committee, either because it's "too hard" or people simply don't know enough about a person's background to make a confidential nomination. The person nominated should not know you are nominating him/her until they are notified of selection.

[EagleWB]

In the Lodge I'm with, the selection committee reviews everyone who is eligible. The only need for a nomination letter would be if the person is not well known to the members and does significantly more outside the Lodge.

[Proud Eagle]

If you really want to know consult the Guide for Officers and Advisers. Also, check your lodge's by-laws and procedures for additional details after reading the section in the guide for officers and advisers.

 

OK, now on to what you wanted to know.

 

Well, to be quite technical, only a lodge may nominate someone for the Vigil Honor.

You see, the National Committee actually has authority to approve all Vigil Honor nominations. Each lodge must form a committee of youth members (often Vigil members, but can include anyone not eligible at the time) who are appointed by the Lodge Chief in consultation with the Lodge Adviser. The Lodge Adviser appoints a Vigil Honor nomination committee adviser in consultation with the Chief. The SE approves all members of the nomination committee.

 

Now, in some lodges, there are nomination or recommendation forms available to the members of the lodge. If they know of someone that fits the selection criteria, they can fill out the form and write something to support this argument. The nomination committee then reviews these forms and other information as part of the selection process.

 

Each lodge is given a set maximum number of Vigil Honor nominations based on the membership reported at the most recent lodge recharter. The committee may select up to that number, but it could decide that a smaller number, or even none, are worthy. Also, at least half of those selected must be youth. All of those selected could be youth.

 

After selecting the nominees the committee (sometimes aided by another group who have particular expertise) then uses a reputable Native American language reference to create the names. Often the word list from the OA Handbook is used, but there are many other references in lenape and other languages that are sometimes used.

 

In the end the Vigil Honor Petition is filled out, signed by the Lodge Chief, Lodge Adviser, and Staff Adviser (or SE), and sent to the National Committee for final review and approval.

 

Really, if you want to know how this works, consult the Guide for Officers and Advisers and the policies and procedures of your lodge.

 

Or ask a lodge officer.

 

Or ask a Lodge Adviser (oh, hold it, I just gave you an answer from a Lodge Adviser, though not your Lodge Adviser).

[NWScouter]

The biggest disqualifier in our lodge has been current dues. Some members (ex-members?) just have not kept current.

[wojauwe]

 

Any scout or scouter can submit a nomination form in our lodge.

The nominators do not need to be members.These nominees are reviewed by the Vigil selection commitee.Each chapter is allowed a youth vote and each lodge officer has a vote.We do not allow eligable members(those who have held Brotherhood honor for 2yrs. or longer)to be involved in the selection.So the make up is Vigil members and ordeal members or new Brotherhood members.Chapter chiefs are the primary members,if they can not attend they apoint a proxy.

Advisors are invited and are allowed to speak in support or against nominees.

We are allowed 1 candidate for each 100 registered members.You can only select as many adults as you have adults.

We have had years when we could not select our full quota because there were not enough youth nominated.We've also had years where 10% or less are adults because there was a good crop of youth.Youth have priority,an adult is not elected in place of a deserving youth.The process takes all day with a lunch break.The adult selections are the hardest since there is useually an abundance of them nominated.

NWScouter:The pool we draw from is that of current members if they haven't paid there dues they are not a viable candidate.

[wojauwe]

Whoops,wasn't quick enough to edit.I should have said no more adults than youth.

[maddog96732]

One more thing I forgot to mention in regards to Vigil Honor Selection Process regarding Professional Scouters. Nomination of Professional Scouters, the Council President, Council Camping or Boy Scout Committee Chairman, and Camp Rangers will not count against the Lodge quota for total nominations. However, these nominations will count toward the policy limiting total adult nominations to a m

[maddog96732]

maximum of 50% of the total nominations submitted in a given year. Adults in this group must meet the requirement of at least two years of service as Brotherhood members. Also wojauwe how many members do you have in your Lodge? If you have over 500 the correct ratio is 1 nomination to every 50 registered members of the Lodge. So you might want to check on that your Lodge could be shorting themselves of some nominations.

 

Aloha,

Ken

 

[wojauwe]

 

I may have the ratio wrong.I had the wrong number in my head for our quota.We only selected 26 last year becuse their were only 13 youth nominated.Just asked my son (who is selection committee chair this year) he said we get around 40.Our membership is around 2000.So 1 for 50 sounds right.

[scoutpatch]

Hello My name is Jason Downs and I am a vigil member of Nachamawat Lodge #275 my lodge haas any vigil member at the OA activity at the end of Sep. be on the election comitty for new vigils.

 

I do think as it has been said it is inportant for the current vigils to know the "resume" of the canadaits I say this becous I was almost from what I hear passed up and our lodge is big enough we could elect 8 members for vigil when the had 7 they all thought that noone else "deserved it" and started to close the election and somone in the room said les back up a min. and mentiond my name again and said that I had been working on restarting a "dead" dance team put a new head on the drum got some "loner" dance outfits started.

A few others then agreed with him and then they voted again and I then was elected.

 

my vigil name long hair who dances

 

some will read this and say then you really did not deserv being elected but I have herd I'm sorry for passing you up in the election after my ceramony

thees people did not have to tell me this but they still did

 

[scoutpatch]

Hello My name is Jason Downs and I am a vigil member of Nachamawat Lodge #275 my lodge haas any vigil member at the OA activity at the end of Sep. be on the election comitty for new vigils.

 

I do think as it has been said it is inportant for the current vigils to know the "resume" of the canadaits I say this becous I was almost from what I hear passed up and our lodge is big enough we could elect 8 members for vigil when the had 7 they all thought that noone else "deserved it" and started to close the election and somone in the room said les back up a min. and mentiond my name again and said that I had been working on restarting a "dead" dance team put a new head on the drum got some "loner" dance outfits started.

A few others then agreed with him and then they voted again and I then was elected.

 

my vigil name long hair who dances

 

some will read this and say then you really did not deserv being elected but I have herd I'm sorry for passing you up in the election after my ceramony

thees people did not have to tell me this but they still did

 

[Eamonn]

Hi Jason,

Welcome to the forum.

Congrats on Vigil Honor.

I gave up trying to second guess or even understand why committees do what they do do a long time ago.

While I have never sat on an OA Vigil Honor selection committee, I have sat on committees that have selected District Award of Merit and Silver Beaver recipients. The thing that amazes me is how few people send in nomination forms!! Then what makes me smile is when they complain that so and so didn't receive the award.

Eamonn.