Centennial Sash

[Jefferson]

Well, there has been a lot of talk about what the Order will do for its Centennial in five years.A fair amount of that talk has been about programs such as the "ArrowCorps50" idea that was so widely discussed at the 2009 NCOC. This and seeing the new "Centennial Uniform" got me thinking about creating a new "uniform" for the Order in 2015. The sash is our uniform so why not revitalize it for the celebration. We could go black and white or red and white for all honors. It's just an idea, but hey, why not?

[John-in-KC]

From a former youth member of the Order (as in over 32 years away from my voting days):

 

OUR SASHES AIN'T BROKE. DONT FIX THEM!!!

[Stone Cold]

According to my copy of the OA Handbook, there was a 50th and 60th anniversary award which can be worn on the sash by those who earned it. Instead of messin' with the sash, why not have a 100th anniversary award?

[Mamasita]

Great idea, Stone Cold.

[moosetracker]

Well, I'm not OA, so change or not, I can't vote.

 

But, as a wife & mother of OA members... Who came up with white for boys ???! They look yellow dingy, and stained in no time at all. The scarf that can be given only once is never ever worn, because it would never look the same again.

 

But, since I don't know the "secret" of the OA, I don't know the symbolism & tradition of the white. It's only a woman on a mission to keep her family looking clean who is talking.

[eaglescout1996]

We also have the 75th Anniversary Award (Gold turtle and arrow suspended from a red and white ribbon), and I'm the only person I know who earned it back in 1990 (as a brand new Ordeal member).

 

My father still wears his 50th Anniversary Award on his Sash, and instead of changing the them, we should just have a 100th Anniversary Award that you can wear above your top bar on your sash.

[emb021]

We've had the 50th & 60th Anniversary Awards, which were patches.

 

We've had the 75th Anniversary Award, which was a special ribbon. In the last 10 years, we had 2 additional ribbon awards (each could be earned annually during a 3 year period).

 

Am sure we'll see a 100th Anniversary Award. What form it takes would be the question.

 

 

moosetracker- I guess you don't know that in many lodges, a dirty sash is a sign of a hard worker. Those with clean sashes obviously aren't out there working. And one can always get a new sash. I've had several over the years. Or get one of those plastic sleeves that some people get.

[moosetracker]

See.. I told you I did not know the OA "why" of it. I just have the womenly .. "ick, that looks awful!.." And for my boys some may be good hard work, but some of it is just plain ketchup stains or what not.

 

Yep I know you can get a new sash. Still I'm not buying a new one after every event they go on. It the neckerchief you only get once in a lifetime. That's the one my boys never wear.

[eaglescout1996]

The key to a clean "dirty" sash, is Scotchguard.

 

I Scotchguard all my sashes, and they do get dirty from lots and lots of service, but when washed, they come out nice and clean.

[John-in-KC]

I could live with a patch for my sash. Don't change the bloody sash, though.

 

One of the things I object to is that by the mere happenstance of birthdate, some Brother is going to, eventually, rub another Brothers nose in "I'm a Centennial Arrowman and You. Are. Not."

 

Mark my words.

[Eagle92]

I personally don't care what color is used. White on black would go back to it's origins though.

 

My lodge growing up had a saying, " A clean sash is the sign of a lazy Arrowman," And we were proud to have stained sashes showing how much work we do.

 

I paraphrased that quote above one time, and it did get me into a little trouble when I was a DE though. I was at my first Ordeal with my current lodge, and I was doing some really dirty cheerful service I show up at the the reception center covered in mud and soaking wet from the rain, and a guy I didn't know was on the executive board, but knew I was one of the new DEs, came up to me in spotlessly clean clothes and asked me didn't I know better than to sleep in the mud while it's raining (or words to that effect) and I told him in my old lodge, a clean Arrowman was a lazy Arrowman, and walked off to my chapter. Man did I get an earful went I went to the office a week later.

[CalicoPenn]

I agree - keep the sashes as they are.

 

The "once in a lifetime" neckerchief must be a local lodge thing as I don't recall there being a national OA neckerchief that couldn't be purchased any old time at the Scout Shop if you had a current OA card.

 

Like John, I could see someone pointing to a Centennial Sash and saying "I am a Centennial Arrowman, and you are not". Of course, my simple answer would be to point at the triangle in the middle of my sash and raising my right eyebrow as a subtle reminder of what the Order is really all about.

[Jefferson]

The award is a good idea that I had thought of too, just forgot to mention here... I never said that the sashes were broke, but change can be a good thing so please don't shout. It's just rude.

[Stone Cold]

How do you go about making a suggestion to national about a centennial award? It's only five years away so it may already be too late to get something done by then.

[emb021]

"How do you go about making a suggestion to national about a centennial award? It's only five years away so it may already be too late to get something done by then."

 

Am sure the National OA Committee is already thinking of centennial plans, including any awards.

 

If you're that concerned about it, speak with your sectional leadership, as they would be in contact with the National Committee.