The Order of the Arrow is Scouting's national honor society. It
recognizes those campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law
in their daily lives and by such recognition, cause other campers to
conduct themselves in such a manner as to warrant similar
recognition, to promote camping, and to crystallize the habit of
helpfulness as a life purpose.
There are six steps to join the Order of the Arrow
in Catawba Lodge:
- Hold a Unit Election.
- Have unit leaders approval
(if a youth).
- Meet the membership
requirements.
- Be elected by the youth of the unit in an election conducted
by the lodge/chapter unit election committee (if a youth) or
nominated by the appropriate people / committees (if an adult).
- Be called out in a call out
ceremony conducted by the lodge/chapter.
- Attend an ordeal within one year
of the unit election date.
Hold a Unit Election:
"To become a member of the Order of the Arrow a Boy Scout or
Varsity Scout is chosen by vote of the youths in his unit. This is a
unique feature of the Order since the majority of those who select
their candidates for this honor are not members of the lodge.
However, lodge members in the unit have a vote as well as
nonmembers. In this way membership is controlled by the youths in
their own units and not by those who are already Arrowmen.
It is important that the members of the unit have the membership
requirements properly explained to them." - (p. 21-22 Guide for
Officers and Advisers)
A unit election can only be held once a year. The election
usually is held at one of the units weekly meetings but it could be
held at other times as the unit has worked out the schedule with the
lodge/chapter (other times may include during summer camp at Camp
Grimes by the OA Camp Chief).
To find out how to have a unit elections team visit your unit
please have your OA Troop / Team Representative contact the
Vice-Chief of Inductions, his adviser or your
chapter chief:
Vice-Chief of Inductions:
Michael Baker
Adviser: Ted Gantt -
704-896-7582
Back to top
Unit leader approval:
"To become eligible for election, a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout
must be registered with the Boy Scouts of America and have the
approval of his unit leader prior to the election. The unit
leader must certify his Scout spirit (i.e., his adherence to the
Scout Oath and Law and active participation in unit activates). The
unit leader must also certify that the nominee meets all specified
requirements at the time of this annual election." - (p. 20 Guide
for Officers and Advisers)
Back to top
Membership Requirements:
Youth membership qualifications (under 21 years of age):
"All members of, or candidates for membership in, the Order of
the Arrow who are under 21 years of age shall be considered youth
members or candidates for youth membership, subject to meeting the
following requirements:
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America
- Hold the First Class rank of the Boy Scouts of America, as a
minimum.
- After registration with a troop or team, have experienced 15
days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period
prior to the election. The 15 days and nights must include one,
but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive
days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the
auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance
of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term
camps.
Candidates for youth membership shall be elected by other youth
members in accordance with policies set forth by the national Order
of the Arrow committee. Election of any person under 21 years of age
as a candidate for membership shall be based on fulfillment of the
youth membership requirements.
Adult membership qualifications (21 and over):
- Adult leaders in units: Each year, upon holding a troop
or team election for youth candidates that results in at least one
youth candidate being elected, the unit committee may recommend
one adult to the lodge adult selection committee, composed of the
lodge adviser, the chairman of the council committee on which the
lodge adviser serves, and the lodge staff adviser. Recommendations
of the adult selection committee, with the approval of the Scout
executive, serving as Supreme Chief of the Fire, will be
candidates for induction, provided the following conditions are
fulfilled:
- Selection of the adult is based on the ability to perform
the necessary functions to help the Order fulfill its purposes,
and not for recognition of service, including current or prior
achievement and position.
- The individual will be an asset to the Order because of
demonstrated abilities that fulfill the purpose of the Order.
- The camping requirements set forth for youth members are
fulfilled.
- The adult leader's membership will provide a positive role
model for the growth and development of the youth members of the
lodge.
- Adult leaders in council and district positions: The
lodge adviser, district chairman, council president, or members of
the professional staff may recommend adults to the lodge adult
selection committee.
Adults may be recommended for membership only one time per year
as either unit Scouters or district/council Scouters, but not both.
How they are recommended depends on where they maintain their
primary registration.
Adult members shall be elected to membership at the discretion of
the lodge adult selection committee. All members of the Order of the
Arrow, both youth and adults, must successfully complete the Ordeal
experience and participate in the induction ceremony.
Because the Order of the Arrow is principally a youth
organization, unit, district, and council Scouters are not elected
to membership as a recognition. Election into the Order should take
place only when the adult's job in boy Scouting or Varsity Scouting
will make the Order of the Arrow membership more meaningful in the
lives of the youth membership." - (p. 20-21 Guide for Officers
and Advisers)
Back to top
Call Out Ceremony:
"The purpose of a call-out is to recognize each elected Scout as
a candidate for membership in the Order of the Arrow. The call-out
is a form of public recognition used to communicate the honor of
being selected for membership into our Order to members, nonmembers,
and others. It must communicate the high ideals and standards of the
Order. It should intensify a Scout's desire to become a member." -
(p. 17 Guide to Inductions)
Within Catawba Lodge those candidates who have been chosen for
membership into the Order of the Arrow must be called out prior to
their ordeal.
There are several chances for a newly elected scout to go through
their Call Out ceremony.
During the designated chapter call outs in the spring:
Sehwatu - April 6th at Clear Creek Scout Camp with dinner starting
at 6:00
Etowah - April 12th at Cokesbury Methodist Church at 6:45
Apache - April 16th at Clear Creek Scout Camp at 7:15
Or during summer camp at the OA campfire.
