dodaddy

In the distant past I had the honor to tap out my Father and Brother. Ours was an elaborate ceremony held on family night at summer camp (Weds) and the candidates were immediately taken away to perform the Ordeal. They were inducted the following evening at a private ceremony and introduced en masse at a campwide crackerbarrell Thursday evening. The entire camp could see them being led away by Brothers in full regalia and watch as their Ordeal projects ( real projects not just setting up tents or picking up trash ) were completed. The next time the campers saw them they wore the OA sash and an

Let me see- having been active in the BSA since 1957 ( with the exception of military service) I am having a hard time recalling ever being required to attend a religious service-openly or publicly profess or swear to a belief in anything or confront anything similar to the gay not gay issue. What I do recall is a lifetime of great memories being made and lessons being learned. Who believed what never came up and no one cared. We had a gay kid ( at least he came out several years later) who was just as focused on camping and being a kid as the rest of us. We went to camporees and the National

Being tapped and inducted in 1960, having tapped both my Father and Brother in subsequent years and enjoying the OA as a family I can say yes I am proud to be and Arrowman. Both my Dad and Brother have died and I have their flaps and sashes-my son wore his grandfathers' sash until he was awarded Vigil and now keeps them under glass. OA has been and remains a family tradition and an absolute joy. My only regret is that in our Lodge it appears many adults have a hard time getting out of the way and letting the boys control the program. Because I and several other oldtimers like me confront th