Ask the Chairman
Q. Dear Ray,
I am my Lodge’s Chapter Chief and people have been asking me about how to get
one particular person from Camp Staff into the Order. He definitely deserves to
be in our Order. The thing is that he was never allowed into a Troop as a youth.
He is currently going to college and doesn't have the time to
be active with a troop. Someone told me that he could be elected because he is
technically a council employee because he is on camp staff and is over 21. I
looked through the Guide to Inductions and didn't see anything about that in there.
I was always told that venture crews could not have elections.
I don't know what to do. I want to honor him for his service and induct him into
the Order but I don't know if I can. Any light you can shed on this will be
great.
Yours in Wimachtendienk,
Brendan
A. Hello Brendan,
Thank you for your question. This is an issue we face often.
For almost a century, we celebrate a very rich and proud tradition in the OA of
recognizing honor in scouting and promoting cheerful service.
At the same time, we are constantly looking to the future and the ever-changing
needs of the OA, its current members, and its future members.
On the one hand, we're proud of our past and our traditions. On the other hand,
we live in a fast paced, dynamic world. We're constantly examining ways to
improve our Order & the program it offers.
So, for starters, congratulations of finding an adult that is so dedicated to
scouting and such an asset that you want to honor him.
That new blood adds so much to the richness of the OA.
At the same time, it seems we have to be careful. The OA does have very
straightforward requirements for selecting adults in the Guide for Officers and
Adults (GOA) and the new OA Handbook. Adult candidates who meet those
requirements are worthy of being selected for how they can best help the OA.
While scouts are elected to the OA as an honor, adults are selected for how they
can best serve the OA and assist Arrowmen in our program.
If someone cannot meet the initial challenge of being selected, you have to ask
yourself, will they be able to support the mission of the Order as we move
forward?
I would encourage you to challenge this individual to meet the eligibility
requirements straight on. Make it a point to meet with him, help schedule his
activities, show him how much the OA means to you. He'll appreciate your
efforts. It will mean so much more to him in the future if he knows he wasn't
just handed a sash, but actually earned it in every sense of the word.
Perhaps now is not the perfect time for him to enter the OA. That is a tough
idea to realize. The relentless demands of college can keep someone far too busy
to allow them to serve in the OA as an adult. But if he is the dedicated scouter
we believe he is and will continue to be, the opportunity in the future for his
selection could certainly occur.
As for financing his entry into the OA, if he truly cannot afford it, please
contact other, seasoned members of the lodge & council and discuss with them a
respectful and confidential way to assist in meeting the financial obligations
of the Lodge.
Sincerely,
Ray
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