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OA membership as a Cub Leader


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I was a Brotherhood OA member as youth, and I understand that I can re-establish lodge membership as an adult. My old lodge merged into the current local lodge so I guess it would just be a matter of verifying previous lodge membership. 

My question is this: I'm a Tiger DL. Are there often other Cub level adults active in OA? I get the feeling it's more of a Troop-level thing for adults. There is no one else in my Pack who is OA, and although I'm sure that personally I'd enjoy becoming active and participating in lodge activities, I'm just wondering if this is the right time to do it. 

Do most folks just wait until their son(s) get elected and then re-join then?

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In my neck of the woods it's usually either

-troop adults who get involved alongside the youth from the same troop

- district volunteers who's kids have aged out, but keep helping.

As a former district volunteer, we'd have been thrilled for a Cub adult to get involved and help out.  If you're interested in getting involved- go for it!

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You might get some odd looks at your blue shoulder loops, but who cares? If you can find something to support your Lodge and Chapter that doesn’t take away from your child or the pack - even as simple as attending one induction/service weekend a year and helping on a trail crew - then that’s a benefit to the Order and to Scouting. A lot of members wear the flap for doing a lot less.

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8 hours ago, The Latin Scot said:

...As for incorporating the OA into my role as a den leader, well, since my Webelos are always asking (then forgetting, then asking again x 100) what all my patches are for, I have many chances to talk about my OA flap and what the organization both means and does. It's something I encourage them to look for and look forward to as I prepare them to become Boy Scouts and animate them towards increasing their "Scout Spirit." When they move up to Boy Scouts, it's something they already know about and are anxious to join. It's never too early; it's never too late!

 

That's a really good point that I hadn't considered. I don't think it will be as useful in my Den just yet (Tigers), but as the boys get older and closer to thinking about life in a Troop, it could be a good opportunity to talk about this program that I think very few Cub Scouts even know about before they enter a Troop. It is always a good thing to be able to present opportunities to do more fun things in Scouting. The more we can offer in terms of the "here's what you can do when you cross over" type of stuff, hopefully the more likely we are to see Scouts continue on after crossing over. 

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A few years ago, I was in pretty much the same situation: New Tiger Den Leader after being OA brotherhood in my youth, lodges merged since then.  OA was some of my best memories and I just wanted to support the current lodge, even if it was just the yearly fee.  They probably had a record of me, but I really had to dig to find my ordeal and brotherhood dates in order to list them on the lodge membership form.  I wear the lodge flap, the Cubs are intrigued by it.  I sometimes help out the troop, so I guess it seems more 'appropriate' now.

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