By Michael Casey
The Southern Region has created an adult mentor award to recognize the adult Arrowmen who helped a unit find a new charter organization. This award recognizes all in Scouting when they have shown a "return in service to your unit." Remember, on our way to the Ordeal Ceremony, we placed our left hand on the candidate in front of us as a symbol of our purpose to return in service to your unit. To recognize those Order of the Arrow adults who answer the call to assist units in transition from one chartered partner to another, the Southern Region will offer the "Unit Mentor Award." The principal requirement to earn this award will be to assist a unit in your home council. If you have anyone who has done the following, you can award this to him or her.
To earn this award, an OA adult must volunteer to mentor a unit in transition from one chartered partner to another, providing leadership and assistance by helping to locate a new chartering organization, and obtain resources to allow that transitioning unit to thrive. There are no other specific requirements, and the OA lodge adviser will determine at the end of the calendar year which adults in his lodge qualified for the award based on the above general criteria.
In consultation with the district/council commissioners, each lodge adviser is asked to develop a "pool" of qualified unit mentors in each district who will then be "on call and ready" to serve where appropriate. At the end of each calendar year, the lodge adviser will submit the names of those mentors he believes met the intent of this award, and the lodge will then be provided a certificate and patch for each mentor submitted to be presented by the lodge at an appropriate time.
As Scouting's National Honor Society, the OA seeks to first support the Boy Scouts of America and the collective mission to develop youth leaders. On the unit level, the OA should certainly offer resources where needed. As Dr. Goodman said, our first responsibility is to our unit; through this program, the focus on OA adults to give back to units is clear. If you have any questions on this award, please email drflatt@aol.com. A form to request the number of unit mentor awards you need will be forwarded to you with instructions.