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To further clarify:

 

"Boy" should read "youth." A co-ed venture crew can elect youth candidates to OA, and female youth members count for quorum purposes and for determining the number of adults a venture crew may nominate or elect.

 

One of the ironies of all this is that youth female venture crew members cannot be elected to OA because of the rank requirement. For a boy to be eligible he must be at least a first class scout. First class is not a venture rank and female youth venture crew members never have a chance to earn first class. Therefore, while a venture crew can elect qualified boys to OA, and elect adults of both sexes, it cannot elect female youth members. At least that was where matters stood about a year and a half ago. In my mind this is an inequity that somebody at the OA national level needs to rectify, unless they have already done so.

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I checked out the OA site - very interesting & informative, but many things were locked away from non-OA members by password.

 

OK - so letrs say I'm interested in OA as an Adult - my troop and I have met the other requirements and my committee elects me next spring as an adult candidate. So what's next? what does an OA "ordeal" involve?

 

All I know is what I've seen the boys do at camp - they spend the night alone and work for 24 hours in silence. The work is usually strenuous and the meals sparse.

 

Is this the same for adults? or different? I'm sure at 60 lbs over weight with a bad back, I'm not up to building any rock walls, or heavy lifting - but there is alot I can do.

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LauraT7,

 

Once you become a candidate your name, address, and other pertinent information goes onto a roster maintained by the lodge registrar, normally an adult volunteer member. The lodge calendars ordeals, usually on an annual basis. About two weeks prior to an ordeal, an invitation goes out in the mail to all candidates who have not yet completed an ordeal, and whose candidacy has not expired. It is possible to learn about these ordeal dates ahead of time, and I suggest doing so. That way one can plan one's life. Normally a lodge will have at least two ordeals each calendar year.

 

A well managed lodge will inquire about disabilities or health issues of candidates. Work can be assigned that is compatible with one's condition. I have seen folks in wheel chairs for example, assigned to work in the kitchen during the ordeal weekend. Any adult or scout who has a health issue, such as diabetes, back problems, asthma, or anything else that can affect them, should take the initiative to inform the adults in charge of the event about this. The last thing anybody wants is an injury or illness arising because of ignorance.

 

You have identified the components of the ordeal correctly and they are the same for both adults and youth, subject to health limitations. Ordeals normally take place over weekends. People come together at the designated site on Friday evening. There is an opening ceremony, the activities of the next day that you described, and a final ceremony. People are released on Sunday.

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LauraT7,

 

One additional clarification.

 

Your last post states that you observed boys doing their ordeals at summer camp. When I did my ordeal as a youth in 1955, I did it at a summer camp. The calling out was done at a midweek campfire, and the ordeal began immediately, and last through Thursday evening.

 

I get the impression that most lodges do not conduct their ordeals during summer camp sessions these days. Your lodge appears to be an exception. The weekend schedule I described is what happens normally when ordeals are not conducted at summer camp.

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