Background: Every chapter needs to conduct quality unit elections in the unit it serves. Holding proper elections ensures that the integrity of the Order is preserved. To conduct a proper election, there are some rules to know, but it also takes a great personality and a willingness to educate others.

Meeting Resources: The National Order of the Arrow Committee has developed a comprehensive set of resources regarding unit elections that can be found here.  This includes a video entitled Electing New Members that contains a brief summary of the Order of the Arrow as well as an explanation of the election procedures.  The unit elections team should show this video at each election.  Additionally, comprehensive guidance on unit elections policies and procedures can be found in the Unit Elections Handbook.

Consider utilizing someone from another chapter who has conducted effective unit elections in the past. The experienced Arrowman will prove to be a great resource. Additionally, consider the timing of this important chapter meeting. Set it up at least one month before the cycle of unit elections begins in your district—timing is everything.

Meeting Content: Show the video. Make sure you have the necessary equipment to show the video, and test it out before the meeting begins. Then, discuss specifics with the chapter members, such as:

• Calling unit leaders to arrange the date, time, and location of the election
• How many votes are needed for election
• Unit leader approval
• The process for adult leader nomination
• How to proceed if no Scout is elected

To make it fun, hold a mock election within the chapter to see which of the sitting chapter officers are elected. Members should also brainstorm ways to maximize the effectiveness of the election.
Discuss the following:

• Wearing the proper uniform, with sash
• Bringing resources such as the OA Handbook, Guide for Officers and Advisers, Unit Elections Handbook, extra pencils, and perhaps pre-printed ballots provided by the unit leader
• Bringing a copy of the lodge’s Where to go Camping Guide and summer camp promotional items to leave with the unit
• Utilizing the OA Unit Representative to help facilitate the election

Finally, set up at least two chapter unit election teams with a blend of new and experienced Arrowmen who can best present the OA to the unit while holding elections.

Background: Becoming a Brotherhood member seals one’s membership in the Order of the
Arrow and it represents a deeper understanding of the ideals taught in the Ordeal. To ensure your
lodge obtains high-performing status, it is important chapters do their part to reach the Brotherhood
conversion goal of 50%. The chapter can work toward this goal by actively assisting Ordeal
members on their path to Brotherhood.

Meeting Resources: Brotherhood test questions and answers can be found through the web, OA
handbook, ceremony team members, and your lodge Brotherhood chair. Have information
about JumpStart available, or—better yet—arrange for Internet access at the meeting to
demonstrate the value of JumpStart in person.

Meeting Content: Invite the lodge Brotherhood chair (or a lodge officer) to give a review of the
Brotherhood requirements and their importance. Then, let the experienced members train the
Ordeal members.

• Have resource materials on hand available for coaching and answering questions. For example, have a copy of the Spirit of the Arrow booklets, the OA Handbook, and the Ordeal ceremony scripts at the meeting.
• The path to Brotherhood does involve some memorization. Stress that this memorization comes easily after an understanding of the Order. Break into groups for the specific purpose of coaching Ordeal members on becoming Brotherhood members. Remember: Youth should coach youth and adults should coach adults. Make sure that everyone in attendance participates.
• Play the game at https://oa-scouting.org/jumpstart that tests an Ordeal member’s knowledge of the Order. If Internet access is unavailable, encourage members to do so at home.
• Brainstorm with the group methods to reward those who reach Brotherhood within the year. A friendly competition among chapters is a good way to encourage chapter involvement. Of course, it’s not about which chapter is stronger, but how together the chapters can make the lodge stronger.
• Encourage Brotherhood and Vigil honor members to keep in touch with Ordeal members. They should call, email, or text new members (following youth protection guidelines) encouraging them to return to events and learn more about the Order. Use the Elangomat system and encourage Elangomats to work personally with their crew members. Ensure nobody leaves the meeting with unanswered questions!

Although an entire chapter meeting can be devoted to teaching the principles of Brotherhood, set aside a specific time within each meeting’s agenda to break into groups and continue learning. Your lodge, through your efforts, will achieve high-performing status. Most importantly: Have fun! Members will return only if they have a good time.

Background: Celebrate your Brotherhood by hosting a Brotherhood Bash! This event should center around a fun-filled evening with the spirit of Brotherhood. Strengthening Brotherhood is an essential team-building exercise that will really show at the next lodge event.

Meeting Resources: Crazy, ridiculous—but safe—activities for all ages. Work with fellow officers to develop zany, competitive, simple activities and games for strengthening Brotherhood within your Chapter.

Meeting Content: Host an all-evening program to conduct a crazy Brotherhood activity. Examples include an all-night capture-the-flag competition, ice-skate-until-you-drop, or swimming pool volleyball tournament. Use your imagination! For a successful Brotherhood Bash, preparation is essential. For example, if your chapter hosts a swimming pool volleyball tournament, consider the following:

• Secure a swimming pool well in advance where Arrowmen can play volleyball in the shallow end.
• Ensure BSA Safe Swim Defense is followed.  All swimmers should have a swim test and swim buddy, and lifeguards should be on duty.
• Set time limits as well as point limits to keep the tournament moving. Time each game so it ends at the peak of fun.
• If a fee is involved, consider a profit margin so the chapter can contribute to the council camping scholarships or the Friends of Scouting campaign.
• Invite other chapters to participate.
• Team competition will encourage new chapter members to meet each other and everyone to work together. Try rules that encourage scouts to learn each other's names. For example, before a bump or set to another teammate, the scout must say that teammate’s name. Have tasty food on hand for hungry Scouts!

Background: Each unit in the chapter has its own fun activities it does from time to time. Share these resources among chapter members. It’s a great chance to develop team-building skills, a friendly spirit of competition, and puzzle solving abilities. One meeting out, discuss the most popular unit meeting games or activities in which chapter members participate. Brainstorm and agree on four or five of them. At the next meeting, participate in shortened versions of all of them.

Meeting Resources: The resources required could range from rope and pioneering spars to kickballs. Make sure the members most familiar with the activity provide a detailed list of all resources and the kind of space needed. Enlist their help in securing the materials.

Meeting Content: Devote one meeting to playing shortened versions of each favorite activity. For example, if a favorite unit activity involves a five-step first aid relay, narrow it down to two or three steps instead. This will make room for more activities.

Consider a variety of activities. Steer clear of activities consisting only of sports. Mix it up by playing kickball, having a fire building competition, launching model rockets, or playing tug-of-war.

When the chapter agrees on their favorite activity, challenge another chapter to that activity at the next lodge event! Build the lodge’s skill, and bring it to conclave!

If you have a large chapter, all the activities might be going on simultaneously and groups could rotate through them. If there are five activities, time them to ten minutes each.

Background: What’s a better way to rekindle the skills of the best campers in Scouting than having a Dutch oven cooking competition? This brings Arrowmen together to challenge their culinary creativity and provides a great meal for participants.

Meeting Resources: One Dutch oven for each group of four people, plenty of charcoal and charcoal starters, food, cooking and eating utensils, and cleaning supplies.

Meeting Content: Look up tasty Dutch oven recipes and gather the food for each recipe. Divide the participants into groups of four and randomly assign them a group of food—don’t give them the recipes! Permit them to do whatever it takes to make a culinary masterpiece in under an hour. The team that wins will be crowned Dutch Oven (Cast) Iron Chefs!

You can find thousands of recipes online or in Dutch oven cookbooks. Some example recipes are below:

Breakfast Sausage Souffle

• 12–15 slices of bread
• Milk
• Butter
• Mustard
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 18 eggs
• 1 lb. cooked sausage

Banana Pineapple Cake

• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Baking soda
• Pineapple juice
• Salt
• Crushed pineapple
• Cinnamon

Campfire Dutch Oven Pizza

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• Vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium red onion
• Mashed ripe bananas
• Italian seasoning
• Vanilla
• Green bell pepper
• Walnuts or pecans
• Garlic powder
• Red bell pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can mushroom stems & pieces;
• Olive oil
• Black olives
• 1 can crescent rolls
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Pizza sauce
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Dutch Oven Potatoes

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
• Sour cream
• Yellow onion
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• 6 medium potatoes
• Milk
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• Ritz cracker crumbs

Need more Dutch ovens? Ask Scouts ahead of time; it’s likely units have them, or members have them at home. Have an adult make sure all food is properly cooked before consumption. Ask for a Cooking merit badge instructor to help, maybe this could turn into a merit badge opportunity!

Background: To celebrate a special occasion (lodge, council, camp, Scouting anniversary) , host a reception for your chapter.

Meeting Resources: Use your council speakers bureau, Scout Executive, past lodge chiefs, or distinguished chapter members as keynote speakers at your celebration. Depending on available resources, consider making this either an indoor or an outdoor event.

Meeting Content: Turn your normal chapter meeting into a banquet to celebrate a special occasion. To better prepare yourself and your officers consider the following:

• Secure the correct venue. Would a large outdoor pavilion or indoor meeting room work well? Or will the council service center work better?
• Invite a guest speaker and provide them with a specific subject matter. For example, you could focus the keynote address on the role the Order of the Arrow has played in Scouting, the council’s history.
• Advertise, advertise, advertise! Use all means to get the word out. Have you tried a story on the lodge website? An article in the council newsletter? A Facebook message?
• Develop and sell a patch with profits directed to the council’s campership fund or Friends of Scouting campaign.
• Create committees within your chapter to manage other aspects of your event. Many hands make light work! Delegate food preparation, registration, public relations, program content, setting up, and cleaning up. Invite other chapters to participate.

Background: This event should last about twenty-four hours like many fundraising marathons. The objective is to sell hours, prior to the event, of “rocking around the clock,” where Scouts have a rocking-chair-sitting marathon. Sell them to fellow lodge members, family, and friends. This is a great way to raise funds for chapter events, contributions to Friend of Scouting campaigns, and lodge campership funds. Don’t forget to receive permission from your council Scout Executive and lodge LEC approval before planning this event.

Meeting Resources: Planning is important. Secure a sponsoring organization by acquiring the use of a local restaurant with rocking chairs—perhaps you have a Cracker Barrel in your area?—to assist in the sponsorship of this event. If rocking chairs are not available, use chairs and call the event a sit in. Let your imagination run wild! Any vendor will quickly recognize the benefits from hosting the event: food sales to participants, family, and friends during the event.

This activity should take place during a weekend and not exceed twenty-four hours. Adult supervision is necessary, and local law enforcement should be put on notice regarding the event.

Discuss your plan with the Lodge Key 3 and ensure you follow Scouting and council policy before any money is exchanged. Create a sales form and distribute it to chapter members (youth and adult) one month in advance of the event. The cost per hour of Rocking Around the Clock should be established through consultation with your Council and lodge key three.

Advertise, Advertise, Advertise! Use all your resources possible. Don’t forget advertising in chapter and lodge newsletters, on your council website, and even reach out to your local community newspaper for assistance.

Meeting Content: The chapter should arrive during the early evening to claim their chairs and set up their comfort equipment: games, iPods, homework, and Frisbees are great.

Establish a depository for funds collected following the event. Have poster-board signs explaining the benefit.

Rock Around the Clock, have fun, and earn money for a great cause!

Background: Camp promotions are one of the primary purposes of the Order of the Arrow and its membership. Each chapter should plan and carry out a camp promotion visit to every unit within its district, requesting one via the members of the chapter. It is suggested that you conduct this training program following your summer camp experience and initiate your promotion in early fall throughout your district.

Meeting Resources: Use your normal meeting room. Train every member in your chapter to promote scout camping and supply them with the resources to get the job done. Having the appropriate electronic equipment to show your council and lodge camp promotion video is beneficial.

Meeting Content: Work closely with your lodge camp promotions chairperson and your council camping committee chairperson to develop a training syllabus. Discuss what message the council wants to get out to its troops. What do you like most about summer camp?

• Secure copies of your council or lodge camp promotions video for each member within your chapter
• Create subcommittees within your chapter to direct this project. Delegate members who can develop the format for presentation, set up troop visits, handle electronics, reproduce printed materials, and other tasks. Don’t forget to get the adults involved: They can drive!
• Be creative with your camp promotion presentation. Perhaps one of the Arrowmen can demonstrate a proper pack and its contents. Another can bring some personal pictures of camp. Maybe a third can tell a story about his camp experience. Make a “kid to kid” appeal—remember your audience! Have the chapter adults assist the scoutmasters with understanding the need to attend summer camp. Adults can also discuss finance strategy as parents begin to think about paying for summer camp.
• Present some form of recognition to each troop registered for your council’s summer camp before a certain date or to each troop with sixty percent of its scouts registered. Some recognition items can be baseball caps or Nalgene bottles with the camp logo. Outreach programs will inspire scouts to sign up.

With increased participation in the council camping program, your Lodge could set an excellent example for camping within your council. Will your chapter make a difference?

Background: Often, chapter and lodge service opportunities involve tools: shovels, pick mattocks, chainsaws, axes, and hedge trimmers. Safety should be the priority at chapter events. Does your chapter spend enough time instructing its members on the safe use of these tools, or does the chapter just hope for the best? Working with tools can be rewarding, but only if it is secure.

Meeting Resources: Bring resources to a chapter meeting for a “tool talk.” Bring the tools themselves as well as any safety equipment needed. For example, if you bring an axe, also bring gloves and eye protection. You can also gather books and web sources that pertain to the safety of tools.

Meeting Content: Invite various instructors to discuss the different tools on hand. For example, a scout can discuss methods for using an axe, loppers, sledgehammer, and post-hole digger. An adult Arrowman can talk about chainsaws, drills, weed eaters, and nail guns.

• Practice the proper handling, sharpening, and use of each tool.
• Try on the various safety equipment and learn how to obtain a proper fit.
• Discuss first aid procedures in case an accident occurs.
• Make a chapter-level goal for zero injuries on future workdays.
• Watch videos about tool safety and consult safety manuals.
• If any questions can’t be answered at the meeting, make sure the questions get a reply after the meeting and some follow-up research.

If the meeting goes smoothly, it will serve a dual purpose: Educating your chapter’s members and keeping them safe!

Background: Many newly inducted members of the Order of the Arrow do not get involved with the chapter or lodge because they either don’t understand the OA or don’t know how to get involved. The chapter can help by hosting a meeting that discusses the purpose of the Ordeal, the activities of the chapter and lodge, and committees that members can join.

Meeting Resources: Utilize your normal meeting room. The Inductions Handbook and JumpStart can provide orientation materials and background information for the trainer. Check with your lodge for resources on upcoming events, lodge committees, and contact information.

Meeting Content: Schedule this meeting after an Ordeal. It’s a great idea to cover the challenges and purpose of the Ordeal. Let new members know this is the only time they will go through the Ordeal. Although work is expected in the future, Arrowmen are permitted to sleep in tents and eat well!

• Discuss the JumpStart website, national OA website, and OA handbook, where members can learn about the Order of the Arrow independently.
• Discuss with new members their next step after 6 months: Brotherhood! Help them understand what Brotherhood conversion is—it’s not another Ordeal!—and when the next opportunity for completing Brotherhood will occur.
• Talk about the activities of your chapter and lodge. When will they occur? Where will they happen? Why should members come? How can members get there?
• What opportunities are available for members to get involved? Give information regarding chapter and lodge committees. Show what they do and provide information on how to get involved!
• Arrowmen are likely to return if they feel they have a role to play. Develop roles within the chapter so everyone has a part. Chapter committees can include camp promotions, elections, ceremonies, activities, training, and service. New members are excellent camp promoters after they are inducted and can easily learn other roles.
• Have a separate discussion about opportunities for the youth and adults. Youth officers should brief youth members. Adult advisers should brief adult members. Everyone has opportunities to get involved in the OA!

Background: Build the ties of Brotherhood within your chapter by hosting a Dive-In Movie. This combines two favorites of Scouts: movies and swimming!

Meeting Resources: This chapter meeting will require a swimming pool, video player, video projector, and a screen or wall to project the movie. Food, drinks, and changing areas will also be necessary. For extra fun, provide pool toys and rafts.

Meeting Content: Set up a video player and projector near the swimming pool. Project the movie
onto a screen or a side of a nearby building. Have your Brothers watch the film from the pool or
pool deck. To better prepare yourself and your officers, consider the following:

• Ensure that Scouting Safe Swim Defense is followed. All swimmers should have a swim test, a swim buddy, and supervision from a lifeguard.
• Show a movie that is rated appropriately for all Brothers in attendance.
• Consider starting your Dive-In Movie night with competitive water games. Team competition will encourage new chapter members to meet each other and everyone to work together.
• A movie that is aquatic-related adds a spark of fun. Be creative!
• Have tasty food on hand for hungry Scouts. Pizza and swimming go great together, but avoid cramps!
• Invite other chapters to participate.
• Consider opening the pool thirty minutes early and having a merit badge counselor onsite for Arrowmen to work on the swimming merit badge.

Background: The Order of the Arrow has a history of a strong commitment to conservation of the beautiful outdoors, which builds on Scouting’s 100 years of camping history.

Meeting Resources: There are several resources available to those wishing to learn about Leave No Trace (LNT): books, websites, pamphlets, trainers, and videos.  You can visit the local library to find books on the subject. If feasible, bring a laptop and TV to show videos about Leave No Trace. Finally, attempt to use chapter resources like an adult Arrowman who is LNT certified!

Meeting Content: The meeting can be free-form, with different information presented. Consider the following:

• Show a couple of short videos about the LNT principles.
• At the end of the meeting, have a trivia game or quiz about LNT principles. Have an LNT or Outdoor Code-related prize available for the winner.
• Ahead of time, delegate each of the seven LNT principles to members of your chapter.
• Have them present details of their principle at the meeting.
• Host a competition within your chapter at a following event to determine the most LNT-based people! Then, move to challenge others!
• If any chapter members are LNT trainers, this can be a great service to provide to units in your chapter.
• Scouting America already has some meeting content ideas developed. Check them out here! 

Background: Boy Scouts are naturalists, naturally! Youth and adults alike appreciate the beauty of nature and will find a birds of prey demonstration fascinating!

Meeting Resources: The two most important resources for this kind of meeting are 1) a trained falconer or birds of prey demonstrator and 2) advertising! The chapter’s job is to support the demonstrator by having tables, chairs, food, drinks, and other necessary items. Have a large outdoor field, if possible. The demonstrator can detail the exact resources needed. Where can you find a demonstrator? A great place to look is the Internet! There might be a group right in your area that performs regularly. You can speak to local U.S. Forestry Service Rangers, a nature conservatory, or a zoo and ask for suggestions. Don’t forget to mention you are Scouts; a demonstrator loves an interested audience!

Meeting Content: The demonstrator will assume responsibility for this event. Be there to support the demonstrator and advertise the event ahead of time:

• Use the lodge and council newsletters to advertise the event after securing the demonstrators’ commitment.
• Provide directions to the site.
• Use the lodge and council website or email distribution lists to advertise. Don’t forget about Social Media!
• Photos and a description of what will take place will encourage people to come.
• Put up a posterboard advertisement at the next council or lodge event.
• Invite other chapters to attend. The more, the merrier!

Background: Service is a cornerstone of the OA’s philosophy. What’s a better way to serve the community than volunteering one day at the local food bank or soup kitchen?

Meeting Resources: The only thing you need is uniformed scouts with a cheerful attitude and willingness to serve!

Meeting Content: Contact your local soup kitchen or food bank well in advance of the meeting you wish to have there. Then begin planning. For example, if you choose to work at a local soup kitchen:

• Ask a coordinator at the kitchen what sort of assistance a group the size of your chapter can provide.
• Offer the services of the chapter by serving food for a meal one day.
• Bring a donation of two cans of non-perishable food per volunteer with you when you arrive.
• Or, if the soup kitchen would prefer donations, consider organizing a canned food drive at the next lodge event.
  • Set up a large box for each chapter at the next fellowship. Encourage chapters to donate canned food.
  • At the end of the event, weigh the boxes and divide by the number of people in the chapter.
  • The chapter that donates the most food per person wins! Recognize them in the next newsletter.
  • Make this a tradition at each Ordeal. As the word spreads, more food will be donated.
• Follow through! If you commit twenty people to volunteering, make sure twenty people volunteer!
• Keep in mind the personal challenge you accepted to “eat the scant food you’ll be given” at your Ordeal.
• Ask the kitchen coordinator when the best month would be to do this. Sometimes summer months are when donations are needed most.

Background: The chapter needs to support the lodge in becoming a high-performing lodge. What’s a better way to measure the chapter’s contribution to the lodge than having a similar set of criteria for chapters?

Meeting Resources: At the meeting in which you discuss developing a Quality Chapter Award, have the Quality Lodge petition on hand. It’s also a good idea to have the lodge chief or adviser present. They can discuss what is important to the council, what the lodge has difficulties with, and how the chapter can help.

Meeting Content: Brainstorm ideas to develop a Quality Chapter Award. Develop criteria by which chapters in your lodge can compete not to be “the best” but to be considered “quality.” For example:

• Strive to have 30% Brotherhood conversion
• Host one service project each year
• Increase membership
• Conduct elections in each troop requesting one by a well-trained team
• Submit one article to each lodge newsletter published about the chapter’s news
• Raise $250 to contribute to the lodge’s Friends of Scouting pledge

After developing and agreeing on a set of chapter goals, delegate responsibility for various tasks to chapter members. Challenge other chapters in your lodge to beat the goals your chapter set.

Background: Communication is an integral characteristic of effective leading. Sometimes, circumstances don’t lend themselves to a face-to-face meeting. It may make more sense to conduct the meeting by virtual means instead.

Meeting Resources: A virtual meeting requires participants to have nothing but a phone or computer. As a leader, develop and circulate an agenda ahead of time by email. Try to circulate it at least a week in advance so participants can review it and begin to think about the discussion topics. Stick to the agenda! The most popular platforms for virtual meetings are Zoom and Google Meets.

Meeting Content: There are several times when a virtual meeting might be the most appropriate method of conducting a meeting:

• When developing a small chapter with only a few active members
• When meeting with officers only, not the general membership
• When a chief lives far away, is on vacation, or works at scout camp
• When calling a special meeting at the last minute
• When holding a meeting with only one item of business and no other activities planned

There are costs and benefits to this practice. For example, although it eliminates travel time, a virtual meeting limits interaction among participants. Also, although participants can quickly discuss items from different locations, they will feel more comfortable leaving the conversation or not participating. Don’t use this method very frequently; only consider it in a pinch!

Background: Involving family members in a fun activity is a great way to expose them to the idea that the Order of the Arrow doesn’t just involve stealing away to camp once a month only to return dirty and tired. Have the Chapter host a potluck picnic and volleyball game to involve family members in a fun outdoor activity.

Meeting Resources: Secure a central location with access to facilities for outdoor dining and sand volleyball, if possible. Look to a local or state park; often, these parks have the resources you’re looking for. The Chapter should provide meat, condiments, paper/plastic products, and ice, while families will bring either a side dish, drink, or dessert.

Meeting Content: The goal of this meeting is simply to fellowship with each others’ families and provide a fun atmosphere to mingle, eat great food, and even have a competitive game of volleyball! Chapter members should bring their families and friends to enjoy an afternoon during good weather. 
The highlight is a youth vs. adult volleyball game. Everyone can play! Follow the OA limits for youth and adults (20 and younger are youth, 21 and older are adults). With a large number of participants, they can rotate in and out so everyone can play. Establish the scoring rules before the game, and play to 21, best 3 out of 5. Making this an annual event will guarantee that the competition will heat up from year to year!

Background: Many Lodges’ activities tend to wane during the summer months. During a warm Saturday evening in July, have the Chapter meet at the local miniature golf course to participate in a tournament. What could be better on a summer evening than fellowship and fun competition with fellow Chapter brothers?

Meeting Resources: Coordinate with the local miniature golf course to ensure that the facilities and resources needed will be available. Consider soliciting donations for prizes well ahead of time, but remember to work with the District Executive before doing so. Secure a laptop and projector to post scores and develop the tournament rotation. Remember also to get funding from the Lodge or require a cost of admission to cover the Chapter’s costs in playing.

Meeting Content: This is an informal Chapter meeting designed to be less serious than some of the OA “business” meetings in which the Chapter may engage. Set up a golf tournament at the local miniature golf course. Players keep each others’ scores and play all eighteen holes in a “shotgun start” format. Afterward, the scores are tallied and posted via projector. The participants who have similar scores are matched together and the next round of the golf tournament continues! Watch those competitive spirits come out as the game progresses. 
At the end of the evening, award prizes to the first, second, and third place participants, and maybe get creative with a few other awards. How about the hole-in-one award, or the craziest-shot-that-worked award? Follow this meeting up with a trip to the local pizza place and call it a night!

Background: The chapter can be an integral part of the lodge induction process. If your chapter is not currently involved in the induction process, or if your chapter wants to “take it to the next level,” consider a systematic approach to developing the team.

Meeting Resources: Developing resources, communicating goals, and establishing leadership are crucial to both starting and maintaining a chapter ceremony team. This won’t happen overnight, or even over the course of one chapter meeting. Instead, this meeting idea progressively involves the members of the chapter to continually challenge themselves to become a more integral part of the inductions process.

Meeting Content: Because developing and maintaining a ceremony team is a multi-step process, the chapter leadership should approach it that way. Devise a plan with specific goals, and update the chapter on how those goals are progressing. Here are some ideas:

• Early on, begin by developing costumes and have a community effort in writing a call-out script. When youth build their own costumes, they develop a sense of “ownership” and are invested in continuing the project. Additionally, a call-out script can always be improved upon and can be adapted for any number of participants. Begin with these two focuses and begin developing young Arrowmen into more confident public speakers.  
• The chapter can expand by also writing Arrow of Light ceremonies and Eagle ceremonies. Chapters earn experience and exposure at events such as these.
• As interest builds, also use meetings to garner support and adult leadership. More experienced Arrowmen might serve as coaches, while others can help maintain costumes or help drive youth to various activities. The chapter leadership can work together to identify needs, communicate to the adult Arrowmen, and ask for specific support while also training new coaches.
• Well before an Ordeal, invite the lodge ceremonies chairman and adviser to visit a chapter meeting for the purpose of discussing what needs to happen before the chapter can perform a pre-Ordeal or Ordeal ceremony. From there, the chapter can focus on one or two induction ceremonies. Working closely with the lodge teams will ensure a smooth transition and support if the chapter needs it.
• As successes grow, consider developing the chapter around the ceremony team. The chapter can either provide entire teams to the lodge for induction weekends, or can serve as a “minor leagues” for individuals to learn the ropes before advancing to the lodge practices. Each chapter and lodge is different. Get a feel for where the lodge and chapter could improve, and then take steps to fill those gaps.