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Information For:
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New Members
and Parents
(New Members are called Candidates) First off, congratulations on your election into the Order of the Arrow. Both you and your parents probably have many questions concerning your election, induction, and participation in the Order. We hope this can answer some of your concerns, and increase your understanding about what you have been elected to join. |
NOW THAT I’M ELECTED, WHAT NEXT?
Pocumtuc Lodge normally holds two induction weekends, called Ordeals,
each year. One in the spring and one in the fall.
You will have two opportunities to be inducted. If you
do not take your Ordeal during one of these
opportunities offered to you in the year after your election, you will need to be re-elected by your Troop, in order to be inducted.
The Ordeal is the actual induction
process. It is a 24 hour program dedicated to service and reflection. As all activities are to be conducted within the principles of the Scout Oath and Law, no hazing of any kind is allowed, nor are any religious beliefs or principles violated. Activities are supervised by adult advisers.
Transportation is the responsibility of the candidate.
As a candidate, you will need to arrive at camp (we
alternate between Chesterfield and Moses) on Friday
evening and check in (be sure and eat dinner before you
come). Between the time you are elected and your Ordeal,
you will receive an information/registration letter from the Lodge. This letter will tell you the date and fee for the weekend,
what time to arrive on Friday and what you should bring to be prepared for the Ordeal. You will need to bring a completed
health form with you, as well as any other paper work that is with your registration letter
(all of the forms are available for download-see below). |
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING WITH YOU TO YOUR INDUCTION WEEKEND:
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Health Form - signed and filled out and any
medications you need
- backpack with personal camping
gear:
sleeping bag, water bottle, your uniform and a tent
(or you can share one with a friend), a ground
cloth, rain gear, work clothes. Do not bring your
Merit Badge sashes to camp.
- $35.00 fee unless you paid ahead of time
(fee includes: OA sash, Lodge flap, book, dues for the
year and meals for the weekend).
- Do not bring snacks or
electronic gear
- There will be a trading post with
extra Lodge flaps and other memorabilia for sale. If
you are interested, you might want to bring a few
extra dollars for the trading post.
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WHAT IS THE ORDER OF THE ARROW, AND
POCUMTUC LODGE? |
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The Order of the Arrow is the Honor Society of the Boy
Scouts of America and a brotherhood of honored campers.
It is a society of Boy Scouts and Scouters that function
as a part of the regular camping program of the Boy
Scouts of America. Its foremost purpose is to promote
and enrich Scout camping. |
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The Arrow members in a local Scout council form a lodge
(used as in Native American tradition in the sense of
the hunting lodge or the council lodge). Our local
Lodge is the Pocumtuc Lodge. |
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The Order of the Arrow is not a secret
society; an air of mystery does surround its ceremonies
and meetings, but this is done because of its appeal to
boys. Membership in the Order is dependent upon
membership in the Boy Scouts of America. Members
wishing to be active in the Order must maintain their
registrations. |
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Elements of Native American tradition are used in Order
of the Arrow ceremonies, for the dramatic effort. However, the Native American aspects of the Order should
never obscure its objectives. |
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| WHAT IS THE
PURPOSE OF THE ORDER OF THE ARROW? |
- To recognize those campers;
Scouts, and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout
Oath and Law in their daily lives and by such
recognition cause other campers to conduct
themselves in such manner as to warrant similar
recognition.
- To develop and maintain camping
traditions and spirit.
- To promote Scout camping and to
strengthen the district and council camping program
both year round and in summer camp, as directed by
the Camping and Activities Committees of the
Council.
- To crystallize the scout habit of
helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in
cheerful service to others.
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WHAT DOES THE OA DO? |
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Our Order exists primarily as a service
organization and especially emphasizes cheerful spirit
in the camping part of the program. It is
democratic in character: boys are elected to membership
by the boys in their own Scout Troop. They elect
their own officers, plan their own programs, and carry
it out under their own leadership. Adults act as
advisers or councilors, but do not run the affairs of
the local lodges. Membership is granted to boys
and adults “not so much for what they have done, but for
what they are expected to do” in service to their fellow
man. |
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An important aspect of the OA program is leadership by the Scouts. The youth members are in charge of program, filling each of the leadership positions, with adult advisers involved to provide guidance and ensure safety. The Lodge holds three weekend activities each year, called Fellowships (one in September, January, and June), at
either Chesterfield Scout Reservation or Moses Scout Reservation, as well as a Lodge Banquet in the
spring. Opportunities are available for training at the local, state, and national levels in areas of leadership, Native American culture and activities, Scoutcraft, and administration. Once you are inducted, you become part of a large brotherhood of Scouts and Scouters working with fellow Arrowmen from across the council, creating lifelong friendships. |
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The OA is not meant to replace or distract from a member’s involvement with his unit. While Arrowmen are encouraged to participate to the fullest of their abilities in the lodge programs, each Arrowman, as a condition of membership, is required to maintain his membership and activity in his own Troop. |
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Further Information: |
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If you or your parents have any other questions, feel free to email any of the
lodge leadership. You can find more information on the Order of the Arrow on the national website. |
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