GREAT SOUTHWEST COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA YAH-TAH-HEY-SI-KESS LODGE, #66 ORDER OF THE ARROW BASIC PLAN BOOK OA VISION: • To be recognized as “Scouting’s National Honor Society.” • To be an integral part of the council. • To maintain our service, activities, adventures and training for youth and adults as models of quality programming and leadership development that enrich, enhance and support Scouting. • To extend Scouting to more of America’s youth. OA PURPOSE: • 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 recognition. • To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit. • To promote Scout camping, which reaches its greatest effectiveness as part of the unit’s camping program, both year-round and in summer camp, as directed by the Camping Committee of the Council. • To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others. OA OBLIGATION I do hereby promise on my honor as a Scout, that I will always and faithfully observe and preserve the traditions of the Order of the Arrow, Wimachtendienk, Wingolauchsik, Witahemui; I will always regard the ties of brotherhood in the Order of the Arrow as lasting, and will seek to preserve a cheerful spirit, even in the midst of irksome tasks and weighty responsibilities, and will endeavor, so far as in my power lies, to be unselfish in service and devotion to the welfare of others. Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America GENERAL LODGE CALENDAR SEE CURRENT ADDENDUM FOR SPECIFIC DATES JANUARY JULY Boy Scout Camp Ends Cub Scout Adventure Camp FEBRUARY Akela’s Rendezvous Family Weekend Scout Sunday 15 Thunderbird Articles Due for July - August- September Scout Sabbath Webelos Week in the Woods MARCH Lodge Spring Fellowship (First Saturday in AUGUST March) Deadline to have completed Unit Camping Webelos Week in the Woods Promotion Visits 15 Campership Requests Due SEPTEMBER 15 Deadline to have completed Unit Elections Lodge Fall Conclave at Camp Rand (information on page 53) (Begins the Friday before the 2rd Sunday) 15 Send Unit Election Reports to Council Award Nominations due at Conclave Service Center for certification, including before Saturday breakfast recommendations for Adult Candidates 15 Thunderbird Articles Due for April-May- OCTOBER June 15 Thunderbird Articles Due for October- November-December Issue APRIL 15 Deadline for changes and input to Plan Book 1 Campership Recipients Notified Section W5-A Conclave - Begins the NOVEMBER Friday before the second Sunday in April unless it conflicts with Easter and then it Lodge Leadership & Development will be held the third weekend. Conference 20 Vigil Honor Nominations Due 15 Unit Elections are Certified by Lodge Staff Adviser; Call-Outs may begin DECEMBER Lodge Banquet and Training Conference MAY (First Saturday in December) Spring Conclave at Camp Rand (Begins 15 Thunderbird Articles Due for January – the Friday before the 3rd Sunday) February – March Issue Election of new Lodge Officers New Officers take office at end of Spring Conclave JUNE Chapter Officer Elections Camp Staff Training Course Brownsea 22 Course National Youth Leader Training Course Boy Scout Camp Begins Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America Note: This edition of the Lodge Plan Book is tied to the Lodge Website and the ScoutNet Lodge database. As updates become available, they will be posted on the Lodge Website at HTTP://WWW.LODGE66.ORG. THE DOCUMENT COMPANY XEROX THANK YOU! To the Document Company, Xerox. They have volunteered their time and money to produce this planbook and all the Thunderbirds. Thank you for this generous donation. A special thanks goes to Mr. Richard Searle, who is the liaison to Xerox for the Order of the Arrow. Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America Table of Contents LODGE GENERAL INFORMATION..................................................................................................................................................................1 HELLO, MY FRIEND..................................................................................................................................................................................1 THE OA HANDBOOK........................................................................................................................................................................................1 YOUR OA POCKET FLAP PATCH....................................................................................................................................................................1 THE OA SASH...................................................................................................................................................................................................1 ORDEAL MEMBERSHIP...................................................................................................................................................................................1 BROTHERHOOD MEMBERSHIP .....................................................................................................................................................................1 VIGIL HONOR...................................................................................................................................................................................................2 LODGE DUES...................................................................................................................................................................................................2 LODGE RECORDS............................................................................................................................................................................................2 LODGE NEWSLETTER.....................................................................................................................................................................................2 LODGE PLAN BOOK.........................................................................................................................................................................................2 THE ELANGOMAT SYSTEM.............................................................................................................................................................................3 OA TROOP REPRESENTATIVE.......................................................................................................................................................................3 UNIT ELECTIONS.............................................................................................................................................................................................3 LODGE TRADING POST...................................................................................................................................................................................3 LODGE 66 COUP BEADS.................................................................................................................................................................................4 THE RULES OF YAH-TAH-HEY-SI-KESS LODGE, #66...................................................................................................................................5 CHAPTERS.......................................................................................................................................................................................................9 WHAT IS A CHAPTER?.....................................................................................................................................................................................9 WHAT AN OA CHAPTER SHOULD DO...........................................................................................................................................................10 LODGE ORGANIZATION CHART...................................................................................................................................................................11 LODGE 66 COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN RESPONSIBILITIES............................................................................................................................12 LODGE ACTIVITIES........................................................................................................................................................................................15 SPRING FELLOWSHIP...................................................................................................................................................................................15 SPRING AND FALL CONCLAVES...................................................................................................................................................................15 LODGE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE................................................................................................................................15 ANNUAL BANQUET AND TRAINING CONFERENCE ....................................................................................................................................15 HOSTING A LODGE OR SECTION ACTIVITY................................................................................................................................................16 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOST LODGE OR CHAPTER:.........................................................................................................................16 FINANCIAL GUIDELINES RELATING TO LODGE ACTIVITIES.....................................................................................................................18 NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND SECTION ACTIVITIES...................................................................................................................................20 SECTION CONCLAVES..................................................................................................................................................................................20 NATIONAL ORDER OF THE ARROW CONFERENCES.................................................................................................................................20 NATIONAL LEADERSHIP SEMINARS............................................................................................................................................................20 CEREMONY TEAM INFORMATION ..............................................................................................................................................................21 WHAT IS A CEREMONY TEAM?.....................................................................................................................................................................21 WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO CEREMONY TEAMS DO?..............................................................................................................................21 WHAT ARE CEREMONY TEAMS REQUIRED TO DO?..................................................................................................................................21 HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?.........................................................................................................................................................................21 BASIC ELANGOMAT INFORMATION ...........................................................................................................................................................22 WHAT IS AN ELANGOMAT?...........................................................................................................................................................................22 WHY DO WE HAVE ELANGOMATS?..............................................................................................................................................................22 SO, WHAT DOES AN ELANGOMAT ACTUALLY DO AT THE CONCLAVE?..................................................................................................22 THIS SOUNDS NEAT! WHAT DOES AN ELANGOMAT BRING TO THE ORDEAL?.......................................................................................22 I WANT TO BE AN ELANGOMAT NOW! HOW DO I BECOME ONE?.............................................................................................................22 BROTHERHOOD MEMBERSHIP ...................................................................................................................................................................23 THE CHALLENGES OF BROTHERHOOD MEMBERSHIP..............................................................................................................................23 VIGIL HONOR SELECTION ...........................................................................................................................................................................24 LODGE AWARDS ..........................................................................................................................................................................................25 LODGE AWARDS SELECTION COMMITTEE.................................................................................................................................................25 FOUNDER'S AWARD......................................................................................................................................................................................25 ARROWMAN OF THE YEAR...........................................................................................................................................................................25 YOUNG ARROW'S AWARD............................................................................................................................................................................25 OLD ARROW'S AWARD..................................................................................................................................................................................25 JACK STELLAR CAMPING AWARD...............................................................................................................................................................26 SUPREME CHIEF OF THE FIRE AWARD.......................................................................................................................................................26 CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD.................................................................................................................................................................26 TO THE NEW MEMBER..................................................................................................................................................................................27 UNIT ELECTIONS ..........................................................................................................................................................................................28 FACT AND INFORMATION SHEET................................................................................................................................................................28 WHAT IS THE ORDER OF THE ARROW?.....................................................................................................................................................28 Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America GENERAL DESCRIPTION...............................................................................................................................................................................28 PURPOSE OF THE ORDER OF THE ARROW...............................................................................................................................................28 PRINCIPLES OF THE ORDER OF THE ARROW............................................................................................................................................29 YOUTH ELIGIBILITY AND MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS.........................................................................................................................29 ELECTION GROUNDRULES..........................................................................................................................................................................29 PREPARING FOR OA UNIT ELECTIONS: SUGGESTED PROCEDURES....................................................................................................30 PERFORMING THE UNIT ELECTION ............................................................................................................................................................32 CAMPING PROMOTION.................................................................................................................................................................................33 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CAMPING PROMOTIONS.......................................................................................................................33 PREPARING FOR UNIT CAMPING PROMOTIONS VISITS...........................................................................................................................34 COUNCIL CAMPING COMMITTEE.................................................................................................................................................................34 LODGE CAMPING PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE YOUTH CHAIRMAN AND ADVISER..................................................................................35 DISTRICT CAMPING COMMITTEE.................................................................................................................................................................35 CHAPTER YOUTH CAMPING PROMOTIONS CHAIRMAN............................................................................................................................35 CHAPTER CAMPING PROMOTIONS WEEK-NIGHT TEAM CHIEF(S)...........................................................................................................36 FORMS…........................................................................................................................................................................................................38 UNIT ELECTION REPORT - YOUTH.......................................................................................................................................................39 ADULT ORDEAL CANDIDATE NOMINATION FORM..............................................................................................................................41 ORDEAL CANDIDATE LETTER..............................................................................................................................................................43 CHAPTER MEETING REPORT FORM....................................................................................................................................................45 ANNUAL CHAPTER ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM...................................................................................................................................47 ANNUAL CHAPTER PROGRESS REPORT............................................................................................................................................51 CEREMONY TEAM REGISTRATION FORM...........................................................................................................................................53 Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America LODGE GENERAL INFORMATION Most organizations have published policies and procedures and local affiliates supplement those policies and procedures to accommodate local requirements. Our Lodge is no different. While we adhere to the National Rules and Policies, we have adopted additional procedures and administrative guidelines to ensure that the Lodge is run effectively for all of the members. HELLO, MY FRIEND, Welcome to the Order of the Arrow! You have been selected by members of your Troop or Team to become a member of Scouting’s Honor Society. This Plan Book will provide you with helpful information as you continue on the path of Cheerful Service. To help you become oriented, let us look at the relationship of the Order of the Arrow to other Scout organizations. Within each Council of the Boy Scouts of America, there is an Order of the Arrow organization called a Lodge. The Lodge for the Great Southwest Council is Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, # 66. Councils have subordinate units called Districts. Many Lodges have subordinate units called Chapters. Within the Great Southwest Council, each District has a corresponding Chapter. The following is information that you will find helpful. If you find that you have questions that cannot be answered from this information or from your Order of the Arrow Handbook, we encourage you to talk with your Chapter Chief or Chapter Adviser. THE OA HANDBOOK Remember when you first joined Boy Scouting? One of the first things you had to buy was the Boy Scout Handbook. You probably took your Scout Handbook home, sat down and devoured it in one sitting, with great anticipation of the Scouting Program you would undertake. We hope that you will do the same with your Order of the Arrow Handbook. The Order of the Arrow Handbook is the primary resource on the Order of the Arrow. You should be able to find all necessary information about the Order in your handbook. If you need more specific information about our Lodge, carefully review this Plan Book and the annual addendum to the Plan Book.. Another important resource for your OA library is the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisers. It will be very important later on if you seek a particular job in your Chapter or the Lodge. YOUR OA POCKET FLAP PATCH When you completed your Ordeal, you received a Pocket Flap Patch. You may purchase additional pocket flap patches at our Lodge Trading Post during future activities. There is no limit on the number of patches that you may purchase. THE OA SASH When you went through your Ordeal Ceremony, an Ordeal Sash was placed over your right shoulder. This is the correct place for the sash, over the shoulder, never folded and tucked into your belt. The National Committee prohibits sewing the "Sash Back Legend" on the sash; the only additional items authorized to be sewn on a sash are the 50th and/or 60th OA Anniversary Patch(es). When do you wear and not wear the sash? You may wear your sash at all Lodge activities and Council /District activities in which the Lodge participates. You do not wear your sash to a regular Troop Meeting (unless an OA Unit Election is being held). You would not wear it to a Camporee but you would wear it to the OA Call-Out Ceremony at the Camporee. You can wear it to Courts of Honor. And, finally, you must be in full Scout uniform when wearing your sash - you may not wear it with informal wear (T-shirt), unless you are serving as an Elangomat, wearing ceremonial gear, or have the approval of the Scout Executive. There are three different sash designs designating the three different levels of membership. ORDEAL MEMBERSHIP Ordeal membership marks the initial induction into the Order of the Arrow. To attain membership, you had to be elected by your fellow Scouts, go through an ordeal and participate in an Ordeal Ceremony. Ordeal membership is only the first step in the induction process of the Order of the Arrow. BROTHERHOOD MEMBERSHIP Brotherhood membership marks the full completion of the Induction into the Order of the Arrow. Ten months after initial induction, an Ordeal Member becomes eligible to seek and attain Brotherhood Membership. Before becoming a Brotherhood member, each Arrowman makes a special effort to serve his Boy Scout Troop or Varsity Team, and to learn more about the Order. To become a Brotherhood member, an Arrowman must meet certain requirements, 1 Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America outlined in both the Order of the Arrow Handbook and this Plan Book and participate in a Brotherhood Ceremony. Each Brotherhood member commits himself to even more service in Scouting through the Order of the Arrow. VIGIL HONOR The Vigil Honor is the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon a member for service to the Lodge, Council, and Scouting. An Arrowman does not seek the Vigil Honor on his own; lodge members nominate worthy Arrowmen for consideration by the Lodge Vigil Honor Selection Committee. Any member of the Order of the Arrow is eligible for recommendation to the National Order of the Arrow Committee for elevation to the Vigil Honor, provided that, at the time of his recommendation, he has been a Brotherhood member for a minimum of two years. The number of Vigil Honor members selected each year is based on the size of the total Lodge membership. The Vigil Honor Call-Out Ceremony is held annually at the Spring Conclave and at other times as required. LODGE DUES Each year the Lodge collects dues from its members. These dues allow the Lodge to order supplies, pay for the operational expenses of the Lodge, register the members of the Lodge with the Order of the Arrow, and keep the Lodge on a sound financial foundation. Dues are established by the Lodge Executive Council (LEC) and are listed in the Annual Addendum and on event registration forms. • Dues must be paid by December 31 for the following year. If paid after that date, a late fee of $2.00 is charged. If dues for the year are not received by March 1, a member is considered to be inactive and is removed from the active Lodge records. • Dues for new Ordeal Members are included in the Ordeal Fee. Dues are paid for the current year for those who go through the Ordeal in the Spring. Dues are paid through the following year for those who go through the Ordeal in the Fall. • Only current, dues-paying members are eligible to participate in Order of the Arrow functions or wear Order of the Arrow insignia, including patches and sashes. • Current membership in the Boy Scouts of America is also required for current membership in the Order of the Arrow. Members of Lodge 66 must be currently registered with the Great Southwest Council, BSA. LODGE RECORDS The Lodge maintains records for every active, registered member of the Lodge. Included in these records are such things as your address, birth date, phone number(s), your Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor induction dates, dues payments, and event attendance. These records are used by Lodge Officers to send out your Membership Card, the Lodge Thunderbird Newsletter, and to determine eligibility for Brotherhood and Vigil Honor, etc. It is very important that if any pertinent information on you should change (such as address, phone number, or unit number), you should immediately notify the Lodge through the Council Service Center, or at a Lodge activity as soon as possible. LODGE NEWSLETTER The Lodge Newsletter, called the Thunderbird, is published four times a year. We welcome and encourage all members to contribute articles of information and interest and to offer assistance to the Lodge Publications Committee in putting it together. If you have the knack for creative writing, drawing, photography, reporting, or graphic design, the Lodge Publications Chairman would like to talk to you. LODGE PLAN BOOK The Lodge Plan Book, which includes this section you are reading, is a very important source of ready information for all members of the Lodge. It is a two-part publication. This part, the Basic Plan Book, contains that information that usually does not change and is distributed to each new member. A second part, the Annual Addendum, contains information that changes each year and also includes the membership roster. It is published once each year and distributed at the Lodge Banquet and Lodge Training Conference to all Lodge members. You are encouraged to read and devour every page of your Basic Plan Book and the Addendum. It is far more than just a "telephone book." A copy of the Basic Plan Book and the Addendum, without the membership roster, can be found on the Lodge website at WWW.LODGE66.ORG. 2 Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America THE ELANGOMAT SYSTEM When you went through your Ordeal, you may recall that some of the Lodge members went through the full Ordeal experience with you. These very special Arrowmen are called "Elangomats." In the language of the Lenni Lenape, an "Elangomat" is a "friend." Without going into too much detail, these Elangomats are currently used by the Lodge to enhance the Ordeal Induction Sequence. Elangomats go through the Ordeal experience with the Ordeal Candidates to serve as a "guide" and to help the candidates through all parts of the Ordeal experience and the Ordeal Induction Ceremony. It is considered a high honor in the Lodge to serve as an Elangomat. All Arrowmen are encouraged to immediately seek out this high honor of cheerful, unselfish service at the very next Lodge Conclave. A side benefit is that it will give you another "outsider's" opportunity to experience the Ordeal and re-capture its meaning. In addition, you will receive a certificate which waives the fee for the Lodge Banquet. OA TROOP REPRESENTATIVE An Order of the Arrow Troop Representative is a youth liaison serving between the local OA lodge or chapter and his troop. In his troop, he serves as a communication and programmatic link to the Arrowman and adult leaders and Scouts who are not presently members of the Order. He does this in a fashion that strengthens the mission of the lodge and purpose of the Order. By setting a good example, he enhances the image of the Order as a service arm to his troop. OA Troop Representative Duties: • Serves as a communication link between the lodge or chapter and the troop. • Encourages year round and resident camping in the troop. • Encourages older Scout participation in high adventure programs. • Encourages Scouts to actively participate in community service projects. • Assists with leadership skills training in the troop. • Encourages Arrowmen to assume leadership positions in the troop. • Encourages Arrowmen in the troop to be active participants in the lodge and/or chapter activities and to seal their membership in the Order by becoming Brotherhood members. • Sets a good example • Enthusiastically wears the Scout uniform correctly. • Lives by the Scout Oath, Scout Law and OA Obligation • Shows Scout spirit UNIT ELECTIONS Every Boy Scout Troop and Varsity Team in the Council with eligible members should have an OA Election and Camp Promotions presentation each year (this is one of the requirements for the Quality Lodge Award). A unit can only hold one election per year and the elected youth Candidates for Membership must go through the Ordeal experience during the year that they were elected. All Arrowmen are encouraged to participate with their chapter in Unit Elections and Camping Promotions. LODGE TRADING POST The Lodge operates an OA Trading Post at each Lodge activity or function in which a full assortment of OA publications, manuals, special patches, pins, sashes, mugs, T-shirts, etc. are sold. It is always a good idea to bring extra money along with you to every Lodge activity or function, as you never know what new items might be available in the Lodge Trading Post. Also, our Lodge Trading Post is our primary fund-raiser for Lodge operations. One of the principle reasons for our Lodge to raise money is to send needy Scouts to camp every summer through our Lodge's "Campership Program." So, please support our Lodge Trading Post -- with your help, we can set our goals higher and higher! Contact the Trading Post Adviser for more information about patches or other OA items. 3 Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, #66 Great Southwest Council Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America LODGE 66 COUP BEADS One of the traditions of Lodge 66 is to issue beads to Arrowmen for participation in activities. Upon completion of the Ordeal, each Arrowman is given a necklace which contains only a few beads. As the Arrowman participates in more events and service, he is given additional beads to add to his necklace. As the beads are added, the necklace grows and serves as a reminder to the Arrowman of the fun he has had and service that he has given. The Request Form is in the Yearly Addendum. Status Beads: Ordeal New ordeal members receive one long ivory hairpipe and two light blue crow beads with their membership. Brotherhood New brotherhood members receive two long ivory hairpipes and two light blue crow beads with their membership. Vigil New vigil members receive one long ivory hairpipe with their membership. Hairpipes: Long Red All lodge officers, committee chairmen, and lodge committee advisors receive one per year of service. Long Silver/Blue The lodge advisor receives one per year of service. Short Red All chapter officers, committee chairmen, chapter advisors and committee advisors receive one per year of service. Long Turquoise All members receive one per attendance at a lodge or section conclave. Short Turquoise All members receive one per attendance at a lodge or chapter fellowship. Long Black All members receive one per special service event. Short Black All members receive one per training class. Glass Beads: Blue w/White Swirl All participants receive one per national event. Yellow w/Red Swirl All elangomats receive one per ordeal. Black w/White Swirl All lodge ceremony team members (with a speaking part) receive one per event. Note this is not one per ceremony. Crow Beads: Black All members receive one per year of membership. Green All members who participate in camp promotion receive one per camp promotion event. Dark Turquoise All members who participate in a service project receive one per service project. White All members who participate in a dance team receive one per event. Yellow All members who participate in an election team receive one per election. Royal Blue All members receive one per meeting. Red All participants at a lodge banquet receive one per event. Clear Topaz All lodge ceremony team members (with a speaking part) receive one per ceremony. Brown All lodge ceremony team members (with a non-speaking part) receive one per ceremony. Orange All cub ceremony team members (with a speaking part) receive one per ceremony. Clear Sapphire All cub ceremony team members (with a non-speaking part) receive one per ceremony. Clear Crystal All participants in a unit development service receive one per event. 4