BSA Troop818

Webelo's Weekend Nov 17-19, 2023

Order of the Arrow

Members of Troop 818 who have been inducted into the Order of the Arrow are members of the Ema 'O Mahpe Lodge, founded on April 1, 2001

The goal of the lodge is to cheerfully serve our Council and its membership while working to uphold the high principles of the Order and Scouting. As Scouting's National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow is an integral part of the council's program. Our service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.

Eligibility


The Order of the Arrow membership requirements are:

Elections, Call-out, the Ordeal and Ordeal Membership


To become a member of the Order of the Arrow a Boy Scout is chosen by a vote of the youth in the Troop. This is a unique feature of the Order since the majority of those who select the candidates for this honor are not members of the lodge. 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.

The names of the candidates are presented to the Troop, and the election team explains the criteria for voting.

  1. Voting for candidates is done by secret ballot.
  2. No interference or public revelation of an individual’s votes or the votes in total is tolerated.
  3. All youth, including Assistant Scoutmasters under the age of 21, may vote.
  4. Candidates may vote for themselves if they think that they are worthy.

Those voting have three options:

  1. Not turn in a ballot, which is abstaining. This does not affect the final result.
  2. Turn in a blank ballot, which is a vote for nobody. This helps no one and hurts all candidates.
  3. Vote for any number, including all of the candidates eligible. This helps those who they vote for, and hurts those who they don’t vote for.

Ballots are collected by the team and counted in private. In order to be elected, a candidate has to receive 50% of the ballots TURNED IN (abstentions don’t count against the final, but blank ballots do). After the votes are tallied the results are shared with the Scoutmaster. The Scoutmaster may choose to reveal the votes, wait or keep the results secret.

After election, a Scout or Scouter remains a candidate until completion of the Ordeal and Ordeal ceremony. If this period of candidacy exceeds one year, the candidate’s name is dropped and he no longer is a candidate. To become a candidate again, he must be reelected.

Call-Out Ceremony

After being elected or nominated, candidates may participate in a call-out ceremony to recognize those Scouts and Scouters that were selected before they attend their Ordeal. The Ema 'O Mahpe Lodge most generally conducts the Lodge call-out ceremony during summer camp at Will Rogers Scout Reservation. The ceremony may be performed at other times including a camporee, a call-out weekend or at a troop or team meeting.

More information on elections can be found on the Elections page of the Ema 'O Mahpe website.

Ordeal

In order for a candidate to become a member of the Order of the Arrow they must complete their Ordeal within one year of their election date. The Ordeal emphasizes service and self-sacrifice. Candidates undergo a vow of silence, spend a night sleeping alone with no shelter, receive little food, and perform arduous labor. Upon completion of the Ordeal candidates are welcomed as Ordeal members through an induction ceremony.

The induction process, called the Ordeal, is the first step toward full membership in the Order. Upon completion of the Ordeal and its ceremony, the member is expected to strengthen his involvement in the unit and encourage Scout camping.

Brotherhood


After 10 months of service as an Ordeal member and after fulfilling certain requirements, a member may take part in the Brotherhood ceremony, which places further emphasis on the ideals of Scouting and the Order. Completion of this ceremony signifies full membership in the Order of the Arrow.

Scouts usually have an opportunity to participate in the Brotherhood ceremony during the Fall or Spring Fellowship. Dates are posted on the Council calendar.

In order to complete the Brotherhood ceremony you must:

To gain a better understanding of the Ordeal, review the questions found on pages 52-54 of the Order of the Arrow Handbook.

Honors


Vigil Honor

After two years of exceptional service as a Brotherhood member, and with the approval of the national Order of the Arrow committee, a youth or adult Arrowman may be recognized with the Vigil Honor for their distinguished contributions to their lodge, the Order of the Arrow, Scouting, or their Scout camp. This honor is bestowed by special selection and is limited to one Arrowman for every 50 members registered with the lodge each year.

Symbols


Members of the Order of the Arrow can be identified by the Lodge flap or their sashes. Only those members who have paid their dues and are members in good standing of our Lodge are entitled to wear the symbols of our Order.

Ema O Mahpe Lodge

Ema 'O Mahpe Lodge Flap

Ordeal sash, Brotherhood sash, Vigil sash