• Vision

    Vision

    The Order of the Arrow......is not an end unto itself, but is for a higher purpose. Individuals are inducted into the Order of the Arrow “not so much for what you have done, but for what you are expected to do.” Taking that Obligation of the Order requires a promise, on one’s honor, “to be unselfish in service and devotion to the welfare of others.” Read More
  • Membership

    Membership

    Becoming Inducted into the OAScouts are elected to the Order by their fellow unit members. The induction ceremony, called the Ordeal, is the first step toward full membership. During the experience, candidates maintain silence, receive small amounts of food, and give service. The completion of the tasks taught lessons about brotherhood, cheerfulness, and service – the three principles of the Order of the Arrow. Read More
  • Nawakwa

    Nawakwa

    Lodge #3Each local Boy Scout council is encouraged to have an Order of the Arrow lodge. The OA lodge helps the local council provide a quality Scouting program through recognition of Scouting spirit and performance, development of youth leadership and service, promotion of Scout camping and outdoor programs, and enhancement of membership tenure. Read More
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Upcoming Events


Date: June 2-4 (Camp T. Brady Saunders)


Date: April 28-30

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About the OA

  • Organization
  • Eligibility
  • Purpose of the OA

Lodge

Each local Boy Scout council is encouraged to have an Order of the Arrow lodge. Each lodge is granted a charter from the National Council, BSA, upon annual application. The OA lodge helps the local council provide a quality Scouting program through recognition of Scouting spirit and performance, development of youth leadership and service, promotion of Scout camping and outdoor programs, and enhancement of membership tenure.

Sections

An Order of the Arrow section consists of lodges within a geographic area of the region. Once every year, representatives of lodges in the section come together for a conclave to share in fellowship, skills, and training. A section is lead by three youth officers, the Section Chief, Section Vice-Chief, and Section Secretary, who are advised by an adult Section Adviser and professional Section Staff Adviser. All of the elected section chiefs are invited form the conference committee for a national Order of the Arrow event, which is held under the guidance of the national Order of the Arrow Committee.

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Membership: For information on who is eligible and the requirements to join the Order of the Arrow. Please see the Guide to Unit Elections and Pages 18-19 of the Guide for Officers and Advisers.

 

Induction

The induction ceremony, called the Ordeal, is the first step toward full membership. During the experience, candidates maintain silence, receive small amounts of food, work on camp improvement projects, and are required to sleep alone, apart from other campers. The entire experience is designed to teach significant values.

For the details on the induction process please see the Guide to Inductions.

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The Order of the Arrow was created to serve as a useful purpose: to cause the Scout Oath and Law to spring into action in all parts of the nation. To this day, we are dedicated to this high purpose. The Order is a thing of the individual rather than a thing of the masses; the ideals of brotherhood, cheerfulness, and service spring to life in each of us. The Order is a thing of the outdoors; from life in the wilds comes a precious ingredient that our country needs to survive-self-reliance. One of the Order’s greatest achievements is, and will continue to be, the strengthening of the Scouting movement as an outdoor experience.

 The Order of the Arrow was founded during the summer of 1915 at Treasure Island, the Philadelphia Council Scout camp. The camp was located on a 50-acre wooded island located on the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and historical records show that it was an early camping ground for the Lenni Lanape, or Delaware, Indians. During that summer, E. Urner Goodman was selected to serve as camp director, and Carroll A. Edison was appointed assistant director. Together, these men decided that they wanted to create an honor society as a definite form of recognition for those Scouts in their camp who best exemplified the spirit of the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. Since the Delaware Valley was rich in Indian tradition, it seemed only natural to base this society, this brotherhood of honor campers, on the legends and traditions of the Delaware Indians. Thus the foundation was laid for the Order of the Arrow.

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Lodge News:

Nawakwa Lodge leadership would like to acknowledge the fantastic cheerful service the following Arrowmen have provided, which we feel goes over and above what is asked of these individuals on a daily basis and truly represents our legacy in cheerful service.

In April, the Lodge sent a contingent of volunteers to the former Bayport Scout Reservation to bring home to Camp T. Brady Saunders and the Cub and Webelos Adventure Camp over 70 canvas tents, tent frames and platforms, along with other items purchased from the camp.  These items will be used to set up new camps and replace other aging tents in both camps.  These volunteers work an exhausting day breaking down, consolidating, and transporting a semi-tractor trailer load of the listed equipment back to HOVC.  We are truly grateful for their service and hard work all day in order to make our camps a better place!  

Also in April, at our annual section Conclave, the following individuals were asked sometime during the weekend to fill in special work efforts.  In addition to all the regular Lodge and Chapter volunteers it takes to actually participate in a conclave (Registrations: Razz, Scott & Robert;  Ceremonies team, Dance team, spirit…) these folks stepped up at the last minute to perform much needed service to both the Lodge and the Section.  A sincere Thank you for their efforts.

And lastly, in June, literally two (2) days before the opening of the 2016 Summer Camp sessions, a severe storm rolls through Goochland and directly through both camps at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation. These folks answered the call to restore the camp to it proper state before the first set of campers arrived on Sunday.  These folks worked late into the evening and all day Saturday to reset tents, platforms, clear trees and debris as well as a host of other tasks and chores.  Because of these folks not a step was missed and summer camp opened on time and more beautiful than ever.  Thank you for answering the call!!!

Well done folks!