Vigil nomination

[Protoclete]

This is the first year I have the opportunity to nominate someone to be considered for Vigil Honor. What are the kinds of things that stand out for you in doing so, what are you looking for beyond someone who exemplifies "cheerful service" and has given their time to the OA? Especially youth v adults? Anything that consistently says to you "that's vigil material"?

(Also, if this is more appropriate for the safeguarded area, any chance someone could get me the password to the safeguarded area?)

[MattR]

4 hours ago, Protoclete said:

what are you looking for beyond someone who exemplifies "cheerful service" and has given their time to the OA?

How about simply 'someone who exemplifies "cheerful service."' Full stop. Why does Vigil always go to people that spend a lot of time in the OA? Some people are too busy helping out to add yet one more activity, OA, to their plate.

[AdmYank]

I know of people who always write these dissertations of how this person can walk on water - they attempt to put feeling into their nomination by suffering burn out when it comes to the nomination process.   It just becomes a one a year "best last year festival."

State what they have done, state what they are currently doing, and state where you think the program would be tomorrow with them.  And you have a Jackpot.   Remember - all of the Vigil Nominations are voted on via the youth, not the adults.

[InquisitiveScouter]

In your nomination, describe how the candidate demonstrates leadership in service.

"...who serves his fellows, is, of all his fellows, greatest!"

In the Wimachtendienk,

Amangiechsin

Edited February 25, 2021 by InquisitiveScouter

[acema606]

Our Lodge seemed to have a strong camp staff bias for nominations.  While folks who were serving in a program like NYLT and are working all year to make that a success often didn't seem to get as much love.  Also youth who staffed national events such as NAYLE went largely unrecognized.  Being a member of the LEC, an Adult Advisor, a camp staff, etc are not the only things to be considered as evidenced by the information pasted below.  

The Vigil Honor is a high mark of distinction and recognition reserved for those Arrowmen who, by reason of exceptional service, personal effort, and unselfish interest, have made distinguished contributions beyond the immediate responsibilities of their position of office to one or more of the following:

• Lodge
• Order of the Arrow
• Scouting community
• Scout Camp

 Listen carefully to the election team's words.  Who would you want to camp with, who will take on the pack of a tired younger Scout?  Who stays late to help get gear stowed in the trailer.  Who sees to it the regalia is always ready even though they aren't in a ceremony?  Guys preparing ceremonial sites even though they aren't ceremonialists?  For me it is one of those things that I kind of know it if I see it.  Even when no one appears to notice or they don't know someone is around.   Lastly,  I have no concerns about the Lodge not using all of its slots for any given year.  I don't say that as someone who is some sort of gate keeper.  Leadership in this COVID era looks a lot different than in a non COVID era.  Kids with technology skills are stepping up and helping the Lodge be creative and move along in a virtual way.  Kids that may not have been well known during traditional Scouting.  They are leveraging their skills when they are needed.  That' s the view from my foxhole as a Vigil member and current Lodge Advisor and the father of an adult son who came up in the OA and is also Vigil.   

[AdmYank]

I do think they put more emphasis on Summer Camp than the Scouting Community.   The whole purpose of the order is to have an outward impact on the Scouting program, not inward focus on building Scout Camps, which is what many of the lodges have done.

There is a larger non-OA member scouting community out there that needs the Lodge service more now than ever before. 

[Eagle94-A1]

16 hours ago, AdmYank said:

I know of people who always write these dissertations of how this person can walk on water - they attempt to put feeling into their nomination by suffering burn out when it comes to the nomination process.   It just becomes a one a year "best last year festival."

 

I am one of the dissertation writers for all the awards I nominate people for. I was once told the more eloquent, and fact filled a nomination is, the better chance the nomination will pass. This is especially important for those serving in a variety of roles in the background . Summer camp staff, lodge officers, ceremony team members, and American Indian Affair members, the ones who are the 'public face" of the OA are a lot easier to get Vigil. People remember them easier and can put a name to the face. Best example of that is the Vigil I nominated  in which I used his legal name throughout the nomination. No one knew who he was. But when I ended the nomination with his legal name, and added his camp name, everyone knew immediately who he was. So those in the public view in general tend to get the awards. So a detailed dissertation of the activities is vitally important to recognize those in the background.

Best example I can give is actually a Silver Beaver recipient I nominated. This guy has served Scouting in a variety of roles for over 50 years. But those roles have never been in the limelight. He served on the unit, district, council, and national levels, but always in a support role in the background. When i discovered he did not have the Silver Beaver, I was shocked and immediately nominated him. At the recognition lunch, I had the chance to talk to friends on the Silver Beaver committee, and a ALL OF THEM (emphasis) were shocked he did not have it already.

[mrjohns2]

On 2/25/2021 at 3:31 PM, acema606 said:

Our Lodge seemed to have a strong camp staff bias for nominations. 

When I was a youth serving on the Vigil nomination committee, ours did as well. It is a huge service to others to serve the Scouts year after year at camp. 

[Oldscout448]

" Attentiveness to the needs of others is the hallmark of a Vigil"  What I look for is someone who actively looks for things that need to be done and humbly does them. Even better he gets others to help and inspires them by working the hardest. Or putting in the most hours.  

It can be something as small as noticing that no one has built the campfire at a camporee, and skipping some free time to build it. Or as large as putting together a select team of very experienced campers to go camping with the new scout troops in the council.  

I had one scout who was given the Vigil honor the first time he was eligible. Why? It wasn't so much that he served on the ceremony team, and the election team or even that he was a 3 time elongomat as well as an SPL.  It was that as a 17 year old Eagle he asked to be a denchief for a fifth time because he truly wanted to help the Cubs learn about Scouting.