Longhaired_Mac

As I understand it, the National OA is a separate organization/company from the BSA/Scouting America. They voted to contribute funds after the lawsuit in the "Spirit of Scouting". And had they decided not to, there would have had to be legal action internally before the endowments could be touched. Technically. What the truth ended up being is probably only clear to the accountants and lawyers.

Has anyone participated in the program as yet? I've considered doing so but feel the special sash would be some very unnecessary virtue signaling. But at the same time advertising the program to encourage others to participate is kind of the point of the Sash?

Scouting Mentor: Fr. John Shaw Fr. John Shaw of the Diocese of Yakima. ..should be 94ish years old now and I think still living in the Yakima area of Washington State, though I've heard recently that he was on hospice care a year or 2 back. I know Father Shaw has served St. Mary's in White Swan, WA after his time in Wenatchee, and had retired by 2022 but continued to serve as the Diocesan Native American spiritual director and the English-speaking spiritual director of the Cursillo Movement, a ministry that focuses on training lay people to become leaders. Here is what I also know about Fr. Shaw. In the 1980's & 90's Father Shaw served as Chaplin to Troop 8 in Wenatchee, WA. Chartered by the Knights of Columbus and supported by St. Joseph Catholic Church, Troop 8 was allowed the use of the CYO Hall (where Augustedge Accounting on Chelan Ave is now) every Tuesday night. Father Shaw would drop-in every once in a while, to make sure the boys were growing into young men of God and not degenerating into dirt throwing heathens. Depending on the week, who knows what he found lol. Father Shaw was sometimes a very enthusiastic and animated in his speaking. Such that he frequently had a foamy bit of spittle in the corners of his mouth. Something we Scouts giggled to ourselves about at the time, but is rather fond memory for me now. While my family are not Catholic, we are Christian and my parents saw no harm in allowing my brothers and I to help at St. Joe's when the Troop volunteered. Father Shaw was always there helping when he could. I remember clearly one camping trip the Troop took to Merit Lake up on Highway 2 just past the Nason Creek area. It's about a 5 mile hike up from the trailhead to the lake, with SO MANY switchbacks. The Scouts had set up camp, dinner was made...mostly ate, and the light mostly gone for the night. And up the trail comes Fr. Shaw. He had come up to give the Scouts a Blessing for their weekend activities. After doing so and chatting with the adults for a short time, Fr. Shaw headed back down the trail. He was in camp maybe 20 minutes all told, and at 8:30 or maybe 9 at night, with the dark fully upon us, he headed home. It was the first time I had seen a head lamp before in real life. (Back then they were only used for intense joggers and cyclists. Who knew every Scout would have one thirty...twenty...well some years later.) We watched his light bob through the trees until he was out of sight then carried on with our mischief. I'd always thought he was a bit crazy to do that. The woods and mountains are pretty scary just to be walking in alone when you are 12. Slightly older now I'm grateful for the dedication he showed to the youth back then. St. Joseph's Catholic Church originally chartered Troop 8 in December of 1922. The Knights of Columbus 1545 took up the duties and continues to support Troop 8 as its Charter Organization for over 104 continuous years now. At 98, I wonder how many Scouts Fr. Shaw has known and mentored over the years.

I thought it would be useful to have information specific to Archery for Cub Shooting Sports events, training, etc...and Archery merit badge as well. I've created a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1076112180079482/?ref=share If you are new to Archery, being a Range Master/Range Safety Officer (RSO), or Archery in Scouting in general, please have a look and participate in the discussions.

I finished Short-term camp administration training a few weeks ago and have applied the training for an OA fellowship/fundraiser. 94 -ish pages of standards. Not a big job for our event as it was at a church in town. Recently during a planning meeting for Conclave we were reminded that a certified Dietician was required to approve menu items for the event. And that the event had to be within so many minutes of a hospital, which is problematic with many camps being distant from city centers. Has anyone else had any challenges meeting one of the new standards while planning OA events?

I currently am serving my second consecutive year as Lodge Advisor so I'm speaking from my personal experience and big mouth. Many have heard that most youth programs are struggling. Sports, Scouts, Art & Music programs. Recruitment is where the money and attention go but retention is more, "We'll get to it next year." OA National believes, and I'm certain they wasted lots of funds to research it, that if Ordeal Members are encouraged to seek Brotherhood or that if they can have Members attend 2 consecutive OA events within a 6 month period, then they are more likely to remain active. In fact they sometimes refer to Brotherhood as "Activation." They are attempting to build in a more proactive approach of membership retention. This is a good thing so far as that idea goes. How Lodges implement that idea, or even individuals...well that will require finesse and needs plenty of grace for error in application as it were. So yes it's appropriate for OA Rep's and other OA members to ask/encourage Ordeal members to grow in the organization. I see a lot of nagging by SM's and parents in scouting. No one enjoys hearing it but the repetition factor does eventually help some things sink in. Hurry up and get Eagle before you age out. Where's your blue card? You should help with service projects for other Unit members. Where's your blue card? the OA..etc. Where's your blue card?! You get my meaning. Teenagers are not the most motivated people the majority of the time no matter how good of a scout they are. If the SM and his son are laying the pressure on thick they probably need to hear it so they at least understand how it's being perceived. The Scout in question was voted into the OA by his peers ideally to recognize his Scouting spirit and camping know-how. That is really awesome. But he didn't have to participate and still doesn't. Because like so many things in Scouting, You get out of it what you put in to it, no organization of Cheerful service wants a member working double hard to avoid work and have pity parties that drag others down. He can always change his mind later but the Arrowman needs to stop making excuses and hurry up and get Brotherhood or state plainly that he isn't interested, then deal with what follows either way. Time to nag Dad and get him off the fence.

I attend NOAC when I was a rather scrawny introverted 15 year old, solo of sorts. No one else from my lodge was headed there but I was able to travel with a Lodge 3 hours from me. The other Arrowmen went out of their way to include me and I had a blast. I even joined them on a basketball team and we came in second place for our region. OA is kind of like the magic school bus, you won't always know what you are going to be doing, but you know you will probably get dirty, and probably have tons of fun. And the key to that is to communicate. With OA members in your unit, or chapter, or lodge. Your solo plunge may turn you into the spearhead leading the charge.

I'm Attending the ALS/DYLC training this weekend. I've heard that it's similar to Wood Badge, But I haven't taken Wood Badge yet. I'm happy to report back what I learn but was wondering what to expect. Has anyone else already taken the seminar?

I don't have the years of experience or training others may have so may lack the finer points on elections and my Guide to Unit Election's was handed down to me so it may be out of date. And I'm not trying to antagonize anyone. That said, the first part of point 6 in the Unit election rules, ( 6. A voter may list on his ballot any combination of names, including all eligible candidates he believes are worthy to become members of the Order of the Arrow.) allows for possibility of write-ins without stating it outright. I understand it may not be the intent but a perturbed Scout or parent will shade-tree-lawyer the words "may list," to mean write-in in a heart beat. I do not have a copy of the Guide for Officers and Advisers but have been told the same point is in it. As to nullification of candidates, Voiding may be a better word. The SM cannot adjust the results but can let the Election team know of circumstances that may require the vote to be void. In the case of first-years not being allowed by the SM, if they were added to the ballot, such as a write-in, the SM's "ok" was not given so the candidates election would not have been valid. Other voiding of elections or candidates where they might not have been valid can look like... the SM confuses the boys names and the wrong person was voted in, or they expected requirements to be met and so the SM provides a Scouts name for a ballot but that Scout doesn't meet requirements by election time. It shouldn't happen but it does, and voiding the vote can occur. In your case it sounds like the SM's "ok" was given in good faith to the election team previous to the vote so their results should stand. But I don't know that it's mentioned in the guide specifically either.

As Chapter Advisor and having just finished our chapter elections last month and having had a few exciting conversations with unit CC's and SM's over election outcomes, I'd like to put a few points out there. Are there mature 11 year olds, experienced in outdoor activities and capable of induction weekend? Undoubtedly. But if your child isn't SurvivorMan at 11 he probably isn't going to enjoy induction weekend anyway or participate later on. Just another Sash-N-Dash. So why press it? While the SM may not have had first year Scouts names on the ballot, the election team should have made the rules of the voting clear. Including Scouts being able to vote for themselves, AND to write in someone they feel should be on the ballot. Even if the election team or SM had to nullify it later. If parents didn't know of the SM's decision before hand then it's highly unlikely that any of the Scouts knew either and as such were free to write in worthy candidates. Either individuals didn't feel they were ready or their peers didn't. The Order of the Arrow is not a popularity contest it is an Honor Society, not everyone gets in...period. Scouts need to have invested time and energy in camping to have earned that respect among their peers. It is not the same thing as advancement and it surely isn't about just fulfilling requirements. Unless it's a small Lodge the election team should have been Youth lead. The Scouts voted not the parents or leadership. The OA has many adult Advisors who get to talk all they want but the Youth make the decisions. Sounds like your Unit made theirs.