Q. Dear Ray,
I am returning to Scouting after many years now that my son is old enough to join. The lodge I initially joined merged with another. If I pay up my dues with the new lodge, could I wear the old lodge patch I wore as a Scout? I now live in a different state from where I initiated. Does it matter which lodge patch I should wear?
Thanks!
Ed
A. Dear Ed,
Thank you for your note. The quick answer is that you should wear your current lodge flap. The longer answer is that the purpose of the OA is to serve its local council; in your case, it would be with the current lodge.
Beyond that, I was in the same situation with my son, when it came time for him to join. It was a source of excitement for him to see my old Scouting patches and flaps, but a source of even greater pride that we both got to wear the same flap. As a new/young Arrowman, nothing else on the front of his uniform was the same as mine, but the visible lodge flap sure was and we enjoyed being connected through our work in the lodge. I put my original lodge flap in a special Scout memory box and have kept it in near mint condition to show my grandkids.
Hope this helps.
Ray