As a leadership development organization, we in the Order of the Arrow strive to create servant leaders who will ask the question: What can I do for others? This question however, is almost impossible to ask unless an Arrowmen knows what the Order of the Arrow is all about, and what their role in our brotherhood is. This journey from “What do I do?” to “What can I do?” is one that many Arrowmen take in their first few months in our brotherhood. However, it can be a very rocky journey without support. To help Arrowmen answer these questions and excel in their journey from callout to Brotherhood, Tindeuchen Lodge has developed the REACH Initiative.
Tindeuchen Lodge of the Erie Shores Council, in the heart of northwest Ohio, has encountered a problem that many lodges across our nation encounter, engaging new Arrowmen. As Lodge Chief John Hutchinson put it, “we were inducting dozens and only one or two would return.” As their name suggests, Tindeuchen, the “Fire Builders,” decided to build a program from the ground up. Their plan was to add to the fire of cheerfulness and spark the flame of brotherhood in their new members.
Tindeuchen’s REACH program is simple in concept, but powerful in execution. The program provides a “face for the lodge” to each new member who is called out. An Arrowman acts similar to a patrol leader; staying in contact, forming relationships with, and encouraging candidates that have been called out to attend their Ordeal. When these candidates attend their Ordeal, they already know an active member, who can greet them, answer questions, and help them feel a little more familiar in the brand new organization of vast possibilities.
When the candidate has completed their Ordeal and is officially a new brother, their guide continues to stay in contact; encouraging them to come to subsequent events, and leading them down the path toward brotherhood. By reaching out in a personal way to these called out Scouts, the Fire Builders are passing on the spark of love for the Order of the Arrow, and the torch of leadership in service to others.
Tindeuchen’s REACH program has been developed to proceed in five distinct phases of engagement. Each new phase brings new strategies for engagement and opportunity for the arrowmen guides and their candidates. Tindeuchen is excited to announce that their first “class” of the REACH program is already well underway, launching an exciting new program to engage Arrowmen until they seal their membership. Tindeuchen’s REACH program, along with some changes to their Brotherhood Conversion process, has already seen tremendous increases in new Brotherhood members eager to serve, lead, and REACH out to others!