what does OA do?

[Eagle92]

Desertrat77 posted:

 

Past: OA was a society of honor campers; it wasn't easy to be elected. It was also a service organization.

 

Present: OA is neither.

 

Desert, those two things are cause and effect. The OA has lost much of its appeal due to ease of obtaining membership, and a rebranding as "A National Honor Society". A mere change in name caused a huge shift in perception, from an organization based on skills, and passing on that skills, to a group who is honoring inductees.

Yes, I've noticed a decline to the quality of OA involvement when they changed the election procedures int eh 1990s to make it easier to get it.

[fred johnson]

OA is like most things. It is what you make it.

 

The good view is that it's an alternative. When scouts are looking for something more, they can latch onto OA as a path to continue to grow inside of scouting. And it is more boy led. And more structured (from how I've seen scouts drill for ceremonies, etc). And a great way to grow skills and confidence.

 

The bad view is that OA exists to serve and promote OA. Of the scouts that I know that are active in OA, and it's few relative to those who received the sash, those scouts are on election teams and ceremony teams. That's all they know of OA. Activities to promote and support OA. The lock-ins and banquets seem to celebrate OA success in OA.

 

In our council, few scouts help on OA service weekends. Few scouts help in NOAC which should be an absolutely great event. NOAC is simply a cost factor. Parents have a hard time forking over hundreds to have their kid be a laborer. \

 

My apologies if my views are skewed. I'm not saying it's correct. It's just my view.

[baggss]

In My opinion, OA is basically a good old boy network run by adults trying to recapture some unrealized aspect from their youth, numbers is all that matters, which details they deligate to underlings who have little knowledge as to what is going on. my son was elected last year, never contacted by oa, somehow the other 4 boys were. He finally recieved a letter less than one week before the last callout, what a joke. At the top levels of oa, they're quick to get back to you, at lodge level, its hit or miss.

[Basementdweller]

In My opinion, OA is basically a good old boy network run by adults trying to recapture some unrealized aspect from their youth, numbers is all that matters, which details they deligate to underlings who have little knowledge as to what is going on. my son was elected last year, never contacted by oa, somehow the other 4 boys were. He finally recieved a letter less than one week before the last callout, what a joke. At the top levels of oa, they're quick to get back to you, at lodge level, its hit or miss.

These sorts of things happen, The OA is boy led and boys let thing slip......

 

Blame your SM......he should receive this info at the roundtable and it is generally posted on your councils website.

[jpstodwftexas]

No Don't Blame the SM...

Your Correct in Blaming the OA Lodge...It is their Responsibility to ensure the Candidates get the Information.

Not everyone of us have the Perfect Scouting World. We don't have the ideal book scouting experience where nothing goes wrong.

 

My OA Experience in the Last two years

at Roundtable..

Not 1 OA Announcement..

No OA Announcements on Local Council's Website.

and I have more Horror Stories...

In My Lodge you definitely can get that "Good Ole Boy" feeling.

There is the Cook crew...

There is Camp Crew

There is ..You get the Idea

I have gave up on Volunteering to help on Projects, I have gave up on hope of being asked to assist on Projects. I simply just show up and whip out the Camera...Someday they might just share them, meanwhile I share them on my own Facebook page and on other Forums like on here. They get set to Public so people can also share them.

Ironically I have been asked By Section to Help, I have been asked by Other Lodges and I do help them.

I also am the Only Member in my Lodge to pay for a First Time attendee for a Youth to attend Conclave..Wish I could afford more.

 

Our Lodge Facebook page is set to secret...You can not find our Facebook page.

Our Lodge Website has nothing on it.

 

Although the Lodges should be Boy Lead. Why do the Boys fail in their Missions...Their Advisers fail in their responsibilities. An Adviser should step in to prevent Obvious failure, yes some things will fail..but some should never fail.. And Failing to send out Induction letters is an Obvious Failure.

[baggss]

In My opinion, OA is basically a good old boy network run by adults trying to recapture some unrealized aspect from their youth, numbers is all that matters, which details they deligate to underlings who have little knowledge as to what is going on. my son was elected last year, never contacted by oa, somehow the other 4 boys were. He finally recieved a letter less than one week before the last callout, what a joke. At the top levels of oa, they're quick to get back to you, at lodge level, its hit or miss.

the oa advisor says he sent emails to committee chair snd SM, both of whom said they never recieved them, but somehow THEIR sons found out in time. Somebody either dropped the ball and is now lying about it, or they are incapable of doing their job I don't know which is worse.

[baggss]

Yeah... jpstodwftexas...I understand... Its just hard to motivate the Scouts/ leaders to become involved, as I am a new (1 year old) Scoutmaster, with a Troop that I have been working to revitalize (a top age of 12, with 4 brand new 1st class/ 20 night in the woods this past year Scouts). My Scouts have hiked, camped, whitewater rafted, climbed, sailboated, been caving, and backpacked over the past year. They have had a ball, and have bee aiming towards the goal of OA, as their next short-term endeavor. I believe in the promise that Scouting provides, and I cheer them on in their endeavors. I search out information to help back my advocating for Scouting, and have, on occasion, come here to review, as this site has a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.

 

It just saddens me to see those who have been around the Scouting world for longer than me being so critical. I thought that one of our roles as Scouters is to teach our youth how to problem-solve. That's a part of the reason I was drawn to Scouting, and encouraged my son to join. We need more problem-solvers in the world, and I have been of the belief that Scouting was the best extra-curricular activity to offer this skill.

 

I come to the OA thread, thinking the best of the best hang out here, and the first post that I read is about all of the problems... That's discouraging. I thought Scouters, especially OA Scouters, were of the "Great!... We have a challenge! Let's figure out how we can overcome.... Not, "hey, we have a problem... Lets all complain about how bad it is." Voicing issues is healthy.. It gets the issue out on the table... but the next step is to brainstorm through the wealth of knowledge throughout this site, to work towards overcoming the challenges... That's kind of what I thought Scouting; and the OA was about.

 

I look forward to when I am called out; when my son is called out, and when the other Scout 1st Class boys are called out. I look forward to Ordeal, and if the lodge is not the greatest; then I will do what I did when we entered Cub Scouts into a 6 boy Pack, that rose to 50 boys and well respected throughout the District and Council. I will do what I am working to do with the Troop that was about to fold; having 1 boy left at time to recharter last December, and now holds 17 active Scouts, recruited over the past year, with 100% retention. I will systematically work to strengthen the Lodge that we enter into one of the great lodges in the region.

 

I just have to continue to learn what a lodge is supposed to do...

 

Thank you all who serve in the OA... With hope, you are making a positive difference for our Scout youth.

The hard truth is, You can only do what the committee allows you to do, sadly, if you are seen as a threat to the status quo, they'll shut you out.