OA National Trails Day - June 1, 2013
The Order of the Arrow has teamed up with American Hiking Society (AHS) to offer
our Scouts and Scouters more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. For years, it
has been our purpose to enjoy the outdoors as well as to be its stewards.
Now,
the Order has a chance to build upon the great work that our high adventure programs,
ArrowCorps5, and SummitCorp - The New River Experience
have been able to accomplish. With this partnership, the Order is asking for your
support. The AHS not only promotes hiking and the outdoors but they also work to
restore its beauty through their many nationwide trail events.
To be a part of something larger than us is something that greatness hinges upon.
The Order asks that you take advantage of this opportunity by becoming an integral
part of stewardship and outdoor enjoyment. Check out American Hiking Society at
their website. On the web site you can
find out how to host or join one of American Hiking Society's National Trails Day®
(NTD) events. Your lodge, chapter, troop, or Scout unit can be leaders in your local
area by getting involved in NTD now!
Has your unit, chapter or lodge participated in a National Trails Day event?
Send a brief summary and pictures to share on the Order's website and social media.
Have questions? Please contact us at NTD@oa-bsa.org.
From the American Hiking Society
Dear Order of the Arrow Member,
American Hiking Society is excited to be a partner with the Order of the Arrow,
Boy Scouts of America. We would like to introduce you to American Hiking Society
and our National Trails Day ® and share how you can be part of the nation's largest
trails celebration! Since its founding in 1976, American Hiking Society has been
the only national voice for hikers - dedicated to promoting and protecting America's
hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience.
American Hiking Society works every day by speaking for hikers in the halls of
Congress and with federal land managers, building and maintaining footpaths through
our trails and volunteer programs, educating and supporting hikers by providing
information and resources, and supporting all hiking and trail organizations nationwide.
On June 1, 2013, American Hiking Society and outdoor enthusiasts across the country
will participate in the 20th annual National Trails Day® (NTD), a long-standing
celebration of America's magnificent trail system. More than 2,000 events will take
place around the country including trail maintenance projects, hikes, paddle trips,
bike and horseback rides, wildlife viewing activities, trail dedications, and so
much more!
Happy National Trails Day and Happy Trails,
John Michels
Trail Programs Manager
www.AmericanHiking.org
Lodge Resources
To help plan unit, chapter or lodge National Trails Day event, visit the National
Trails Day website for resources including an organizer's manual, general facts,
frequently asked questions, style guide, and press information. The resources are
available
here.
How You Can Host a National Trails Day Event
National
Trails Day is a year long opportunity and just doesn't happen on the first Saturday
in June. Chapters and even Sections are encouraged to participate in a National
Trails Day event at any time that is available and all Arrowmen can participate
in more than one event over the course of the year. Arrowmen should check the National
Trail Days events
page regularly
to find opportunities in their local area.
Host an Event
- Plan your very own event. It can be as small or as big as you want it to
be. If you can't plan a new event, register an event that you already have scheduled
for spring, summer, or fall 2013. This could be a maintenance project, hike,
paddle trip, bike ride, or anything celebrating trails. Get creative!
- Let your scouts know that they are taking part in a trails celebration that
is occurring in all 50 states with over 1,500 events and 100,000 participants
around the country.
- Let your event count towards the total numbers of Scout events across the
country and be a part of the important national community of trail volunteers
and stewards.
- Events do not have to take place only on June 1, 2013. They may occur any
day throughout the year. You can register for more than one event.
Register your event as public or private. Public events are viewable on the AHS
website and open for others to participate. Private events are only open to your
lodge and will not be advertised to the public on our website. Both public and private
events will count towards the total number of Scout events. Register your event
here and direct any questions to
jmichels@AmericanHiking.org.
Partner with a Retailer or Local Organization
Visit the NTD
page to find events in your area. Call the host and ask how your group can help
in the planning or by volunteering. If their event is already registered on the
AHS website, ask them to email jmichels@AmericanHiking.org
to add your troop to the partner list.Contact a local retailer or group and encourage them to host an event and offer
your volunteer support.
Participate in an Event
- Attend an event near you! Visit
www.americanhiking.org
to view the map and events in your area. New events are added weekly so continue
to check back.
Record Your Service Hours
Help your council while you help the environment! Lodges are encouraged to track
their NTD service hours. Your lodge's service hours count towards your council's
overall efforts on their Journey to Excellence. Each local council has an OA lodge
ID that can be used to log Order of the Arrow service hours. The Unit ID of OA units
begin with 200 and a 3 digit council number. The OA lodge for council 087 is 200087.
The unit id for council 112 is 200112. Anyone from the lodge can create an account
and record hours with that unit it. All OA units are "troop" unit type. The unit
number is a 1, 2 or 3 digit number that matches the council number. Council 1 OA
unit number is 1, council 212 OA number is 212. If the council has units with the
same number as the council number, that is not a problem because the unit ID will
help the computer differentiate between the various accounts. Follow the same instructions
for units recording their service hours. The Journey to Excellence web site, which
contains a link to the on-line form to record the hours, is found at:
http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Awards/JourneyToExcellence.aspx
Recognize June 1st as the National Trails Day (but remind Scouts
that anytime is a good time for trail cleanup project - not just 6/1). Schedule
a trail cleanup and show the world your commitment to keeping
our trails clean!
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