By Michael Todd
The roughly 1,100 Arrowmen who gathered for the SR-7A Section Conclave in April spent part of their weekend giving back through a meaningful service project. This year’s conclave was held from April 25-27 at Camp Shenandoah, outside of Staunton, VA. During the conclave, Arrowmen assembled more than 6,000 care packages for service members currently at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. Walter Reed is the US military's primary medical and care facility on the east coast.
These packages contained snacks and candy, writing and reading material, as well as information about local Scouting programs. To add a personal message of thanks to the care packages, Arrowmen also wrote notes to the service members. In addition to assembling the care packages, there was a patch auction on Saturday evening of conclave where over $3,100 was raised to cover the costs of the project.
Arrowmen of the section agree that this service project was important. NE-5B Section Chief Michael Shostek attended the event as a guest and said he was happy to be able to give back. "There is never enough thanks to our service members - it demonstrates our appreciation of very visible role models of cheerful service." Amangamek-Wipit Lodge Chief Davis Kellogg agreed that the care packages assembled, "help demonstrate that a service organization [of the OA’s size] understands and recognizes the unselfish service that service members give to our country." Kellogg also recognized that the project serves to "remind the younger generation that the service members are here and are role models as service leaders."
The 2012 National Vice Chief, Preston Marquis, organized the project. Under his guidance, the approvals, planning, materials, promotions and manpower for this service project all came together. Shostek said that the project was something "Simple and easy to do en masse - and creates an impact. It shows that feasible projects, when planned well, can be quite effective."
The packages will be delivered to the medical center in Bethesda, MD and will soon be distributed to service members. Arrowmen from around Virginia were able to contribute to a project that appreciates servant leaders in our community and in our nation, while helping bring visibility to the Order of the Arrow as the servicemembers, their families and the community see us all as brothers.