Osceola564.org - New Members

Order of the Arrow		Boy Scouts of America		Southwest Florida Council

New Members

This page will help new members get started with our lodge and explain what to expect in the first year as an Arrowman.


	The following is best read straight-through instead of jumping around. The following links, however, should help you jump to important spots or pick up where you stopped. Your First Chapter Meeting Your First Lodge Event Your First Ten Months Welcome to the Order of the Arrow and Osceola Lodge's website. Most of the information you need to get started as an Arrowman (a member of the Order of the Arrow) is on this website, and we hope that you'll be able to find anything you need. Feel free to contact a lodge officer or chairman if you have a question. There is some information, however, that you won't find on our website. Although we aren't a secret society of any kind, we do recognize the allure of the unknown. As stated in our ceremonial books: "The Order of the Arrow, recognizing the attractiveness of the unknown, utilized the form of mystery. This shall not be interpreted, however, as justifying the withholding of any information regarding the Order from any person legitimately interested in investigating its nature, purpose, or method. Nothing in the Order shall be interpreted as interfering with any member's religious obligation." So we're not covert, top-secret, or underground, but we know that our practices are most effective when candidates have no advance knowledge of the exact process. Like the plot of a movie, the Ordeal is best when candidates do not know beforehand what they will experience. Therefore we will do our best not to reveal the plot of our movie by telling too much about our practices. Likewise, Arrowmen who have completed the Ordeal, like you, should respect the process and every other Scout's potential journey through the Order by helping us protect the mystery of the Ordeal. Your friends may thank you later for not sharing details now. Some websites on the Internet are not as careful as we try to be. You may be able to find information about the Ordeal or other "secrets" of the Order; quite easily in fact. But your journey is just beginning, and there is a great deal of knowledge of the Order for you to discover. So I encourage you to fight your curiosity. Don't skip to the ending of the book, or the rest won't be worth reading anymore. With all that said, let's talk about the Order of the Arrow. You can learn more about the Order of the Arrow and Osceola Lodge on the "About the Order" page. Osceola Lodge is just a part of the bigger picture. The number of lodges fluctuates as they merge and disband, but the number of Arrowmen hovers pretty steadily around 175,000 nationwide. To better realize the size of the Order of the Arrow, you can read these statistics from the National website about the National Order of the Arrow Conference (NOAC) 2004 held at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. Think of NOAC as the National Jamboree of the Order, but smaller. 6,500 Arrowmen? That's a big group. But like many lodges, Osceola Lodge sent only a small fraction of our total membership. Imagine the many more Arrowmen who believe in the same values of cheerful service that you do. Like I said, 175,000 people, as willing to serve as you are. Now that's a movement. The strength of our Order lies in our numbers. If every Arrowman planted a tree, we'd soon have a forest. If every Arrowman drove in a nail, we'd have a neighborhood. But there'd be no forests, no houses, no lodges without the hard work of our Arrowmen. As a volunteer organization, we live and die by the participation of our members. To explore even more of the Order of the Arrow in an interactive format, visit the Jumpstart New Member Orientation on the National website. Have your OA handbook nearby so you can find the password to enter the site. Before we talk too much about your new obligation, let's review your old ones. You were elected into the Order of the Arrow by the members of your unit, fellow Scouts who saw that you were ready for the responsibilities of an Arrowman. Show your peers that they made the right decision by embodying the Obligation of the Order in everything you do. An Arrowman's first and foremost duty is to their unit; serve your unit with a renewed spirit. As the Mighty Chieftain said at the Call-Out Ceremony: "Always remember that you were honored by your peers who elected you because of your camping ability and scouting spirit. They set you apart as one from whom they expect much. They expect you to give leadership, camping, and cheerful service. You must resolve, therefore, not to let them down." Now that's we've covered your old obligations, let's discuss your new responsibilities as an Arrowman. The Order of the Arrow isn't for everyone, although we try to appeal to a wide audience. You should keep in mind that being elected to the Order is an honor that your unit bestowed on you. Completing the Ordeal, facing the challenges, reflects great credit upon you. Already you have come a long way, experienced a lot, and accomplished much. But we hope that you'll stay with us, just as you have read this far. By living the Obligation and serving your unit, you're fulfilling the duties of an Ordeal member, even if you never attend an Order of the Arrow event. Some Arrowmen, however, choose to be more active. They recognize an organization of giving and hard-working people, and they know that they are needed. Are you this kind of person? Are you still unsure about the Order? Please, don't judge our book by its cover. Come back and read a few more pages. Bring a friend from your troop so you know someone at first, and then meet new people, like your Chapter Chief. It's like the first day of school all over again, except with sashes. Your First Chapter Meeting Good, you've decided you learn more about the Order. Like your unit's meetings, we wear Class A uniform to chapter meetings. To OA functions like this meeting, we also wear the Order of the Arrow sash over the right shoulder, under the epaulette, with the Arrow pointing up. You can remember that the Arrow points to your Scout hand sign. In Osceola Lodge we also wear beads on a necklace tucked under the shirt collar. Each bead means something different. You probably have three: a white one signifying that you're an Ordeal member, a solid blue one signifying that you're a member of Osceola Lodge, and a third bead representing your chapter. This necklace is now a part of your Scout uniform and you can wear it anytime you wear your Class A. Think of it like your lodge flap, which you should have sewn on your right breast shirt flap by now. Bring along the OA Handbook and First Year Arrowman Book you received at your Ordeal. Finally, grab a pen and paper. You arrive at your meeting. You're early, so you're standing around with your hands in your pockets. Go talk to someone, find out when they were inducted. Maybe you recognize them from your Ordeal. You start with, "Man, those llama rides were great, but the hot air balloons didn't go high enough, don't you think?" It's a great conversation starter as you recall your Ordeal together. But the meeting is starting, so you grab a seat. Don't get too comfortable, you still need to recite the Obligation. Everyone stands, raises their Scout hand sign, and says something really long, really quickly. At least it seems that way to you. You mouth the words "Watermelon, Corn Flakes" over and over and get through it. You'll study it later; the Obligation is printed in your OA Handbook, First Year Arrowman book, and on the back of your dues card. The meeting has opened and the Chapter Chief moves into business. He talks about the last Ordeal -- your Ordeal -- and wants some feedback. You tell him about the llamas and the hot air balloons. He gives you a strange look and moves on. He starts mentioning dates and times for upcoming events. You scribble them down. You tell yourself that when you get home, you're going to sign up for your chapter's mailing list. But for now you're stuck writing. Or maybe you're drawing your Chapter Chief on a rocket ship. It's your paper. Your Chapter Chief starts talking about Lodge and Chapter Committees. You know you saw them listed in your First Year Arrowman handbook, but you didn't know where you fit in. Got the acting bug? Like Native American lore? Maybe Ceremonies or Native American Events (dancing and drumming) are for you. You'll figure things out in time. What's next? Pizza? If you're lucky, your chapter has bought food for this meeting. We try to do things like that. What's more, they're going to play games? You may go outside and play some Ultimate Frisbee (the unofficial lodge sport, by the way), or stay inside and play some board games. Games are done, food is gone, and the meeting is winding down. Some last announcements and reminders, and then the song. Everyone forms a circle, crossing their right arm over their left, and links hands. They start to sing, or try to anyhow. You're glad you're not part of that audio catastrophe just yet. But they finish, and you're free to go. Before you go home, you remember to have your Chapter Chief sign your First Year Arrowman book indicating that you attended a Chapter meeting. On the way home, you think back on the meeting. You didn't have to plan any events, that was handled by the officers. You don't have to worry about those kind of things. In general, our meetings are more fun because we know that honored Scouts like you deserve a night off every once in a while. Better go to the next event and find out what this organization is all about. Your First Lodge Event Order of the Arrow events differ greatly from your troop or District events. As a service organization, our first goal is gathering Arrowmen to complete service projects at camp. We can't work around the clock though, so we balance our service with fun activities to promote Brotherhood and fellowship. We often experiment with new activities or a different schedule, and therefore a different mix of fun and work, but the weekends generally follow the same basic structure. Lodge events are also very different from Section and National events, such as Section Seminars, Section Conference, and the National Order of the Arrow Conference. Induction events (Spring Ordeal and Summer Fellowship) also have slightly different schedules to accommodate the Ordeal. To register for a lodge event, follow the directions on the reminder postcard or from your chapter meeting and send your money to the Council Office. Remember that registration closes the week before the event date. If you're registering close the lodge event, call the Council Office (1-800-269-8072) to tell them that you will attend. Your money will arrive later, or you need to pay at the event when you arrive, but the lodge will know how much food to purchase for the weekend. Like any camping trip with your unit, you'll want to bring along a tent, sleeping bag, Class A, etc. Anything that you need for a normal weekend camping event, you'll need here, with the exception of cooking supplies. Bring your Order of the Arrow sash with you too, to wear with your Class A (mainly at dinner and ceremonies). Finally, you may be able to bring some equipment or tools mentioned on the postcard or at your chapter meeting, such as work gloves or loppers. Once you have everything packed, make sure you double-check to which camp you're headed (listed on the Calendar or on your reminder postcard). With two council camps, Arrowmen sometimes wind up at the wrong place. When you arrive at camp sometime after 5:00 on Friday, check the administration building for the Membership Committee's check-in. If you can't find them, check the Dining Hall, especially in the evening. After you've checked-in, you'll be directed to the lodge's campsite where you can setup your gear. Typically we camp near the Dining Hall for convenience. Every event has an assigned cooking chapter to manage all of the meals. That frees the rest of the lodge to work on service projects or play games. The chapter schedule rotates, so if you spend some time in the kitchen at this event, you won't need to worry about it for awhile. If your chapter is cooking, you've probably discussed it at the chapter meeting prior to the event, so you'll know when you're needed. You can also view the chapter rotation schedule on the Chapters page. If you don't need to help in the kitchen, then you're free to play board games or cards, trade patches, and enjoy Cracker Barrel with everyone else. Sometimes there are more organized games, such as Order of the Arrow Jeopardy and chapter competitions, but overall Friday is a night to relax. Don't stay up too late, because work projects commence Saturday morning. Following breakfast, which usually starts around 7:00, the Service Committee gathers the lodge and distributes work projects. Four or five people may trim the camp trails, while two or three more groups concentrate on large projects. For most of the morning, Arrowmen will travel the camp completing projects and returning for new ones. Around noon, everyone returns to the Dining Hall for a refreshing lunch. After lunch, with all of the work hopefully completed, Arrowmen can relax and enjoy the afternoon. The lodge may open the pool so everyone can cool off after the morning's work, and then often play Ultimate Frisbee or some lesser sport. Around 4:30, all of the candidates for Brotherhood membership assemble at the Dining Hall to begin the Brotherhood Walk. You probably don't need to worry about Brotherhood for a while; you must be an Arrowman for at least ten months before you can choose to advance to the next membership level. Immediately before dinner, "The Box" will open in the Dining Hall. The Box is the lodge trading post, where you'll find items that can only be purchased at lodge events. Unfortunately, The Box only opens Saturday nights, so make sure you're around when it does. Saturday night dinner is a grand meal, especially at the Spring Ordeal and the Busk Weekend. For dessert, the lodge often serves the famous "muck-muck," a concoction of chocolate, marshmallows, bananas, and whatever other treats the cook staff throws in, topped off with whipped cream. With the reopening of The Box comes the reopening of the board game boxes, and the night finishes with games and revelry. Sunday morning begins with breakfast and chapel services. After chapel the lodge holds a Lodge Meeting in the Dining Hall. At most events, this is a quick meeting for announcements and awards, ending with the distribution of clean-up assignments. However, at the Spring Ordeal in March, this meeting is when the lodge elects officers for the next term. The lodge disperses afterwards to clean-up the used areas of camp and take-down personal gear. The officers, chairmen, and advisors hold a Lodge Executive Committee meeting to discuss and vote on pertinent lodge business. With the work done and the event over, everyone heads home. You can probably tell that our weekends are pretty easygoing and laid back. We mix service with our program to provide what we hope is a fun and worthwhile balance, giving back to the council while enriching our own members. In short, we want to create events that are fun and will generate attendance. Once there, you can give some of your time to maintain our camps. Your First Ten Months Your first ten months as an Arrowman are very important. During this time, you will form your impression of the Order of the Arrow and probably decide how active you will be for the rest of your time in Scouting. You'll hear a lot about "ten months" because that is the minimum time before an Ordeal member can become a Brotherhood member, known as "sealing the ties of Brotherhood." In Osceola Lodge, there is no lodge event immediately 10 months after our Induction events (Spring Ordeal in March and Summer Fellowship in May/June), and therefore every Ordeal member waits about a year. What is Brotherhood? You can learn more about the Brotherhood membership level on the Brotherhood page, but in short the Brotherhood membership is an increased commitment to the Order and the lodge. In Boy Scouting, there are many ranks between New Scout and Eagle Scout, each with their own requirements. In the Order of the Arrow the three levels -- Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil (or Vigil Honor) -- are not considered ranks, but rather different levels of commitment to the Order. Brotherhood members are not "better" than Ordeal members, just as Star scouts are not "better" than Tenderfoot scouts. Some people will tell you that they became Brotherhood "just to get a new sash" (that's where the $12 fee comes in), but that's not the spirit of the Brotherhood. Indeed, many Arrowmen value a dirty sash a symbol of their hard work, as they tend to tarnish through the attendance of events. By sealing your ties of Brotherhood, you commit to a new level of service and devotion to the Order. Every Ordeal member who "converts" to Brotherhood benefits the lodge, but you benefit yourself as well. As an Ordeal member, your only duty is to use the Obligation to serve your troop; as a Brotherhood member, you commit your talents to strengthening the lodge. So what should you do during your first ten months? The best way to learn about our organization is to attend our functions with an open mind and make your own judgment. If you decide that you enjoy the Order, as we hope you will, then you can explore some of the options and paths that lie before you. Many Ordeal members have put their heart into the Order during the first year and become Chapter Chiefs, Committee Chairmen, or even the Lodge Chief. But most are not as enthusiastic during their first year. Instead you might sit back and attend meetings and events as a regular Joe Arrowman. If you decide you like the Order a little more, you can join one of the many chapter committees. Committee members take an active role in an aspect of the lodge, but each has only a small commitment because they are part of a larger team. The Website Committee, for example, maintains this entire website, but each committee member may only be in charge of a page or two. When you decide that you want to become a Brotherhood member, you should begin learning the signs of Ordeal membership and understanding the Ordeal process you completed. The Ceremonial Committee can help you, as it deals primarily in those areas. At the next lodge event that you feel you are prepared, you can meet with a member of the Brotherhood committee who will evaluate your understanding. Because each membership levels builds on the previous one, it is important that you understand the knowledge of the Ordeal level. The Brotherhood committee member may recommend, therefore, that you "study" a little more before you seal your ties of Brotherhood. We suggest that you meet with a Brotherhood Committee member before the end of your first year to give you extra time to prepare while still sealing your ties of Brotherhood at the end of your first year. In short, you should fully explore your new opportunities. Find your niche, the place in the lodge best suited to your talents, or try new things. You may advance through the leadership hierarchy to become a Lodge Vice-Chief, or train to become a diehard ceremonialist. Only you can decide what you want to do. Your first year should be a time of investigation, and we hope that you have a fun time doing so. -Written by Drew Keller, 2003 Osceola Lodge Chief