The End of an Era?

I have reported previously that the 2010 National Jamboree will probably be the last at Fort AP Hill. The Boy Scouts of America is seeking a permanent, BSA owned spot to hold future Jamborees. I know that is old news. What is new is a release from the Army stating that because this will be the last Jamboree at Fort AP Hill, no new improvements or additions will be made at AP Hill.

The end result in the decision is that no additional sub-camps will be set up and the limits on numbers will be about what they were in 2005. Everyone knows that this may be the most popular Jamboree ever, but there may not be space for everyone who wants to go. Those people who are thinking there may be an additional troop in the 2010 Contingent may be disappointed. But maybe not!

There is another little factor that many people must consider - cost. Councils all over the country are still wrestling with the cost of the Jambo. What is gas going to cost during the summer of 2010? For far councils, the cost of air fare has got to be creating more than a few gray hairs. The cost may prevent many from attending in 2010. That cost alone may allow some closer councils to add a troop at the last minute. I would not count on it, but it is possible.

Long range, lets say 2014 and beyond, will the Jamboree as we know it survive? It is difficult to say. Remember it is not just travel costs. How about food costs? They have spiked along with fuel costs. How much is too much for a Jamboree?

We have the same costs under consideration for the other High Adventure camps, also. Will the Boy Scouts of America become more regionalized for High Adventure? Will the Boy Scouts High Adventure program become too expensive for most boys. Any ideas?

The end of the era may not be the Fort AP Hill location, it may be the Jamboree experience itself. What do you think?

The Order of the Arrow

The Fall Fellowship for our Pellissippi Lodge of the Order of the Arrow is next weekend. If you wear the flap, you need to be there. No, I 'm not saying that if you have time or if there is not a football game or if the grass doesn't need to be mowed, but if you are a member, you need to be at Fall Fellowship.

Let's talk a little about the Order of the Arrow. It is the National Honor Society for the Boy Scouts of America. Members are selected by their peers. It is a select group. But for so many it is just another patch. I have even heard there are scoutmasters who discourage membership in the OA because they are afraid participation in Order of the Arrow events will take boys away from troop events. The majority of the scouts who are selected and go through their Ordeal never participate in any Order of the Arrow events. They never go to a chapter meeting or attend a fellowship or go through a Brotherhood ceremony. (Hint to scoutmasters: encourage their participation.)

First of all, everyone knows when a scout turns 18 they become an adult in the troop. Most scouts try to finish their Eagle and are gone from the troop by the age of 18 or soon after. In the Order of the Arrow, however, boys may participate until they are 21. If the boys are active in the OA, they tend to stay active in scouting past their 18th birthday. That activity usually extends to the troop. So scoutmasters who discourage membership in the OA can also be assured that their senior and most experienced scouts will be leaving the troop at 18.

What is in it for the boys? Why is it more than just a patch? I have been involved in scouting for many years. I have watched many boys become men. I have seen many scouts become leaders. Not adult leaders but leaders of men. Most have been OA members. The best of the best were always OA members. Most, if not all, the National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT)classes are made up of OA members.

Leaders are not attracted to the OA, they are made there. I have seen time after time, fumbling and mumbling young men elected to office in the OA who become outstanding, articulate leaders from the skills they learned in the OA. The OA is a totally boy run organization. It is run like every troop should be run. What a concept!

Look at our camp leadership and staff. Most are active OA members. Youth staff who return for four, five or six years are almost guaranteed to be OA members. It is hard to argue with success.

Adults enjoy the fellowship of the OA. Mostly though, they enjoy watching the growth of leadership. So, are you going to Fall Fellowship? As a scout wearing the flap, you need to be involved. Get involved. The OA is a two way street. The OA needs the members to be involved so that it is an active, fun organization of service. The active members in turn will become the leaders of their troop, their community and much more. What a win-win situation!