I posting this here instead of on the OA forum because that doesn't seem to get a lot of traffic.

 

I'm just curious if anyone from these boards is going to be at NOAC at the end of the month in East Lansing, Michigan, on the Michigan State campus.

 

Despite the fact that NOAC is local for our troop, I think my son is the only OA member in our troop (and we have 8 or 9) who is going to the conference.

 

Elizabeth

WOW, I didnt realize NOAC was being held at a major university, Where will they be camping?

Both of my sons are going as staff members -- part of TOAP (The Outdoor Adventure Place), demonstrating cooking. I'm told that they're all staying in dorms.

 

Cushy camping!

You mean the Boy Scout Honor Society, the organization that has as one of its goal the promotion of camping is housing its staff in Dorms?

"WOW, I didnt realize NOAC was being held at a major university,"

 

ALL NOACs have been held at major universities.

 

"Where will they be camping?"

 

they won't be. Everyone stays in the dorms, hence why its at a major university.

 

"You mean the Boy Scout Honor Society, the organization that has as one of its goal the promotion of camping is housing its staff in Dorms?"

 

Everyone stays in dorms. Were else might you put up 5-7 thousand people? This isn't the Jamboree. were would you have all the training sessions held, etc??

 

 

 

Never been very active in the OA, I have no idea what goes on at NOAC other than its the OA's national convention, and I must say that the reason I steered clear of the OA is because it's dominated by haughty arrogant people

"I must say that the reason I steered clear of the OA is because it's dominated by haughty arrogant people"

 

Gee, that's what I've often felt about people who've taken woodbadge.

I'm on Staff working in the Ceremony Evaluations Office.

 

OldGreyEagle, college campuses are some of the only places that could support what we do. Housing for 6000 people, rooms for multiple training courses and offices, competitions, and an auditorium for those people for the shows. A National Jamboree type environment wouldn't work well for it. I'm also sorry your experience was a bad one. There are haughty, arrogant people everywhere in Scouting unfortunately. Please try not to generalize your experience toward all of us. Some of us are not like that.

 

Will

 

 

Thank you for your response Will, it would have been nice to have had that explanation and have been educated rather than shamed for not knowing what goes on at a Noac

"I must say that the reason I steered clear of the OA is because it's dominated by haughty arrogant people "

 

Some of the best people I know of in Scouting are actively involved in the OA (and Wood Badge and ...).

 

I have not found that the 'haughty arrogant people' dominate the OA (at least in my area).

 

This isn't to say that these sort aren't in the OA, or seem to dominate certain areas. (I would even say there seem to be too many of this type in certain areas of the OA, but not overall).

 

But this is true in Scouting in general. Sadly, you will encounter such people in scouting. And sadly, you will find certain groups and areas that they dominate. But its wrong to say that they dominate everywhere or in all groups.

 

 

No problem. The intent of the conference is training, competition, and fellowship. The college campuses are very good for that environment. You can check out http://event.oa-bsa.org/ to learn more about it. The National site, www.oa-bsa.org will have more information on the conference when it gets here. I'm excited and ready to go, it's always a fun time.

 

Will

I can tell you why Kevin isn't going. $750.00 for the week.

OJ along with four others from he Ship will be going.

There was talk about some of them being involved with the stage shows? I'm not sure what ever came of it?

I have to admit to never having had a burning desire to attend.

In part because it seemed to me that a big part of it was all about patch trading and at times this trading seems more like high finance than Scouting.

I have heard that each region will host a OA good turn in place of the regular NOAC next time out.

Maybe because OJ is so involved? But it seems to me that our Lodge (Wagion 6) is a very big part of what Scouting is in our Council.

I was deeply honored to receive Vigil honor last year. I'm certain that there are others who deserved it more than I did and having most of the officers from the Lodge as Sea Scouts in the Ship played a big part in it.Still after 28 years in the Lodge maybe it was a sympathy thing?

OJ and the guys who attended the last NOAC all had a great time.

Eamonn.

I've got 8 from my crew going.

I went to NOAC in 2002 and had a blast. Wish I was going this year, but Ely and Woodbadge drained my scouting trips fund.

My son is really excited about going. He's going to be part of the Service Corps, in administrative services. He and other Arrowmen from our lodge will be helping in the days before the conference starts, hauling things over to campus and helping to set up so that everything is ready for when everyone else arrives. (We live 15 minutes from campus.)

 

I'm hoping that the service corps guys still get to participate in some of the events. This is probably the only NOAC he'll get to attend and I'd like it to be a good experience for him.

 

Elizabeth