If retaining Ordeal members is an issue for your lodge, consider implementing a First Year Arrowman award. Such an award serves as an incentive for new Arrowmen to remain active, seal their membership in the Brotherhood, and serve the lodge or chapter. The program consists of a simple rubric designed to incentivize Arrowmen to achieve specific goals within the lodge. Arrowmen who successfully complete the requirements not only earn the award but also receive a pin to symbolize their achievement. Below is information regarding one lodge’s award.
Tutelo Lodge #161
Blue Ridge Mountains Council Boy Scouts of America
FIRST YEAR ARROWMAN AWARD APPLICATION
Any first year Arrowman who completes the requirements will be awarded the Tutelo Lodge First Year Arrowman Award. I hope that you will meet new friends, find new interests, and get a head start on the path of service that is so central to the OA.
You will be awarded a restricted First Year Arrowman Pin upon completion of the requirements. It matches the Tutelo Lodge Totem on your Lodge Flap, and is designed to be worn over top, so that everyone will know of your achievement. No one in Tutelo Lodge who has not been awarded the First Year Arrowman Award will ever be given this pin.
Below you will see requirements for this award. Upon completion of the requirements you must have them initialed by the lodge chief, a vice chief, chapter chief, lodge adviser, staff adviser, or chapter adviser.
You must complete the requirements in your first year of membership.
Do all of the following:
- Attend at least one function in the year following your Ordeal
- Attain Brotherhood at the first opportunity
- Participate actively in your troop/team
Do 3 of the following:
- Join a committee
- Attend two chapter meetings
- Attend two lodge meetings
- Take part in One Day of Service
- Take part in conducting a unit election
- Take part in a camp promotions presentation
- Be an Elangomat
The above resource was submitted by Tutelo Lodge, Blue Ridge Mountains Council, in Roanoke, Virginia. The lodge, which boasts a membership around 1000 members, has used this program for five or six years. The lodge has had strong Brotherhood conversion and membership retention rates. During these years, Brotherhood conversion rates hover around 60% but have spiked to nearly 90%. Another Virginia lodge, Nawakwa Lodge in Heart of Virginia Council, uses a similar program. How do you keep members around? Let us know at Chapter@email.