Quickly take a look outside, wherever you may be, and imagine yourself in the most serene, lush, and beautiful landscape in the middle of the wilderness. You are able to start reflecting over your life with the sound of flowing water, caressing the rocks, with the chirping birds and the most beautiful sunrise over head. This is an opportunity that can be experienced daily at any of the Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow High Adventure programs are located throughout the country's high adventure bases. Philmont in Cimarron, New Mexico; Northern Tier in Ely, Minnesota; the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia; and Sea Base in Islamorada, Florida. The programs all start with a week of service, which can range from trail building to removing invasive species. Then each crew plans their own expedition for an additional week.
Each program is a unique experience, however all contain common life lessons. Matt Dihadoorian, a Philmont Order of the Arrow Trail Crew participant, explains a life lesson he learned. "It made me realized that nothing is impossible; you just have to work your best with your crew in order to
The Philmont program has you reflect on your inner self, reaching in and mentally telling yourself that, "I can conquer this hill." Participants come out with the same mentality that they can - conquer any obstacle in life no matter how large the challenge.
Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage/Canadian Odyssey in the boundary waters has service work which involves building portage trails. The experience is challenging, but rewarding. Walker Green, an Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage participant describes his trail work by stating, "You get to see the results right in front of your eyes during work week." Not only can participants say they have made a difference, but the quality of the trail work being done is designed to last for generations to come.
The third program takes place at Sea Base, and is called Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure. The program at Sea Base has participants create structures to preserve the beaches of the islands in the Keys, along with taking out invasive species threatening the local wildlife.
A brand new program is also launching this summer at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Called "The Summit Experience," the program is designed to entice younger Arrowmen to participate in high adventure. Lodges and chapters are encourage to participate as a crew. Arrowmen ages 14 but not yet 18 will have the opportunity to explore all that the Summit has to offer in terms of adventure,
Unique opportunities also come up, and are different for each crew at Sea Base. John Franklin, a participant of the Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure program exclaims in excitement, "We even got to catch and eat lobster!"
Taking the opportunity to use your next summer to reconnect yourself with the environment, and also bettering yourself in the process, will only help you to take on bigger opportunities to cheerfully serve others, and inspire others to surpass their limits. Tyler Allen, a former Order of the Arrow Ocean Adventure Foreman, reminds us of the theme amongst all high adventure programs... "not just to inspire, but to teach fundamental methods of conservation."
Your 2014 Adventure awaits you! Do not delay, spots are filling up fast! For more information and registration visit https://adventure.oa-bsa.org.