Year of the Lodge

In late 1990, a plan began to take shape for a year of emphasis that would give new attention and resources to lodges and a refocus on the basic principles and purposes of the Order.

It had been decided that the young men who would attend the National Planning Meeting in December would help set the plans for the year. Under the direction of National Program Vice Chairman Dabney Kennedy, the chiefs would develop a program called “Focus ’91: The Year of the Lodge.”

With no NOAC to plan, the Order was going to make developing ways to make lodges better the 1991 program of emphasis. Six task forces, under the direction of the newly elected Region Chiefs developed ideas, programs, and activities to focus on and strengthen lodges throughout the nation. The areas of concentration included: leadership, lodge program, membership, national program, outdoor program, and service. Before the end of the year, a “mega-box” of new resource materials were developed which were subsequently delivered to each lodge at the 1992 National Order of the Arrow Conference.

3, OA, Scouting

1992 National Planning Meeting

The 1992 National Planning Meeting was called the Assembly of Chiefs. With no NOAC to plan, efforts were directed toward improving quality of lodge operations and planning the Arrowman Gathering at the 1993 National Jamboree. Brian Beaverstock of Tisquantum Lodge, Foxboro, Massachusetts was elected National Chief and Dameon Hutto from Tiak Lodge, Ellisville, Mississippi was elected National Vice Chief. New BSA region designations changed the number of region chiefs from six to four. The Region Chiefs elected were, Jeff Middendorf – Northeast Region, Joel Shapiro - Central Region - Mike Salazar, Southern Region and Ron Mahabir - Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

1988 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1988 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Glenn T. Ault, Douglas E. Beaudoin, L. Ronald Bell, Billy H. Brackett, Richard E. Carroll, C.D. Cash, Jay T. Cleaver, Franklin H. Collins, Eduardo X. De Torres, Mark M. Dyer, Philip R. Engelmann, David A. Erb, Daniel J. Feigelson, John R. Foltz, J. Thomas Ford Jr., Kenneth N. Galloway, Elmer B. Greey Jr., Charles T. Harbin III, Richard R. Harrington, Robert D. Hath, James W. Ince, Jon E. Jones, Sean P. Keenan, Arthur F. "Mac" McLean III, Larry A. Mobley, Ronald E. Moranville, G. Allen Mossman, R. Brian Naylor, George Douglas Nelson, Steven M. Palm, Rob Patridge, John Perry, Christopher T. Retajczyk, Cary L. Roberts, Kelly Roberts, James A. Rock, Mack T. Ruffin III, Joseph L. Scalise, Steven R. Silbiger, Timothy M. Snellenberger, Tom Tatham, Oscar M. Thompson, Todd F. Trapnell, Roy C. Walker, Larry E. Warlick, Derek Wilcock, James D. Wilson and Andrew Wright.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1988 - National Planning Meeting

The National Planning Meeting had become an annual end of year meeting between the holidays. Besides National officer elections, the 1989 50^th anniversary of Philmont Trek was on the agenda. Jack Stephens of Chee Dodge Lodge, Flagstaff, Arizona was elected National Chief. Wade Herbranson, Tonkawampus Lodge, Maple Grove, Minnesota was elected National Vice Chief. Region Chiefs elected were Mark Belli – Northeast Region, David Bone – Southeast Region, Kevin Bokesch – East Central Region, Daniel Fee – North Central Region, David Herndon – South Central Region and Michael Southall – Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

1990 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1990 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Donald R. Adkins, James M. Alexander III, John Kevin Bokesch, Angelo A. Cappelli, Charles A. Chase Sr., Mark J. Chilutti, Albert C. Christoph, Gene V. Clemens, Michael M. Creagh, Chris Crews, Wayne L. Dukes, R. D. Dunkin, B. Jay Fairbanks III, Daniel Fee, Robert E. Fenty Jr., Rudy Flythe, David William Garrett, John T. Gutkoski, Mark A. Henry, Wade A. Herbranson, Kevin K. Hudson, Gordon A. Knapp, Richard H. Leet, Patrick W. McGowan, Stephen S. Meinhold, Kerry R. Molin, Jeff C. Moser, Charles V. Neil, C. Randy Piland, Bobby R. Rainwater, Louis Romond, William Rooney, Brian P. Rudie, D. W. "Si" Simons, Michael Southall, Challen Wells and Harold A. Yocum.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

OA Time Capsule Sealed

At the 1990 NOAC during Founder’s Day, lodges and individuals could put items into a special 75^th Anniversary time capsule. The capsule was filled with many pieces of Scouting memorabilia and other items of note from 1990.

National Chief John Meckley and National Vice Chief Tony Steinhardt sealed the capsule in a special ceremony. The capsule is to be opened on the 100^th Anniversary of the Order in 2015.

2, Founders, Goodman, OA, Scouting

Goodman's 100th Birthday

Goodman’s centennial would have been May 15, 1991. To mark the occasion, the Journal of Scouting History published a biographical essay by Goodman’s friend and protégé, Bill Hillcourt. He wrote of their many years of mutual support and good times together.

He closed:

Urner was my friend, alive, for fifty years. He was, indeed, a GOOD MAN. He is a friend of mine until I die, and a friend of each of you who follow in his footsteps.

3, Founders, Goodman, OA, Scouting

Film Features Goodman

The Closing show at the 1983 NOAC premiered the inspirational film See the Need, a short subject film on the life of E. Urner Goodman. The film contained excerpts from speeches by the founder and scenes of him with Arrowmen. The film was five years in the making and featured the song Meet the Challenge, written and performed by Sam Fairchild. All proceeds from the sale of the film went to the OA Endowment fund.

3, Founders, Goodman, OA, Scouting

1983 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1983 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Richard M. Aberle, Kenneth G. Ackermann, Robert S. Akes, Mark S. Anderson, Dale J. Apley Jr., Frank R. Berger, Kurt E. Christiansen, Alan B. Cooper, Phillip Shaw "Ted" Costin, M. Gene Cruse, Steven C. Davidek, Thomas R. Deimler, Dennis G. Downing, Richard O. Eberly, Donald L. Fifield, Kenneth J. Grimes, Clifford J. Hanson, J. Derek Harbin, William F. Hartman, Arnold Heck, Dan T. Hemingson, Frank T. Hilton, Mark Hobgood, Craig H. Kliger, Raymond L. Lee Jr., James Martin, Kevin Moll, Reo E. Nicar, Karl S. Palvisak, Carleton D. Ranney, Gordon P. Rubard, Kenneth S. Seavers, Robert M. Shoemaker, Byron Smalley, Charles R. Snyder, Bradley D. Starr, Thomas C. Steffens, Thomas H. Tabb, Thomas N. Taylor, Billy W. Walley, R. Fleming Weaver, Arnold M. Young and William Ziegler.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1986 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1986 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Mark B. Beese, Darrel Bieker, Richard H. Breithaupt Jr., Elton L. Brogdon, Todd Brohaugh, Robert E. Burt, Jack Butler, Dr. Robert B. Carney, Daniel J. Churay, Kurt E. Ewen, William J. Fortier, Hal B. Gallop, Joseph P. Gareri, Charles A. Garwood, Esten Grubb, Michael Hoffmann, Jason P. Hood, R. Lynn Horne, Kevin W. Hula, Charles Hoyt Hunt, Michael J. Johnson, Ted L. Johnson, Chris Klenk, Kelly V. Landers, David A. Lang, Raymond E. Leonard, Ben H. Love, Richard A. Mason, Robert C. McEachern III, Steve Mimnaugh, David B. Moody, L. Guy Nirenberg, Douglas K. O'Connell, Howard Olson, Thomas E. Reddin, Richard C. Rice, Steven R. Rogers, Mike Sachs, Eugene J. Schnell, Stephen C. Sellers, Matthew H. Sorenson, James B. Stanton, Richard A. Sullivan, David C. Surrett, James J. Terry Jr., Robert E. Thibault II, Rodney T. Ueno, Robert Wade and Richard J. Woodward.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1987 National Planning Meeting

The Section Chiefs gathered together in the Dallas Area for the National Planning Meeting. Starting with this meeting, the National Planning Meeting would be an annual affair and all national and regional officers would serve one-year terms. National officers had served one-year terms in the early days of the Grand Lodge from 1921- 1926, but those were adult positions and only distantly related to the youth leadership positions. 

The primary reason why the meetings needed to be annual was the OA was and has been an ever-expanding program. More and more events were scheduled for non-NOAC years including increased participation in National Jamborees, High Adventure and Conservation.

Jeffrey Moser of Pellissippi Lodge, Knoxville, Tennessee was elected National Chief. Angelo Cappelli of Timuquan Lodge, St. Petersburg, Florida was elected National Vice Chief. Region Chiefs elected were John T. Gutkoski – Northeast Region, Skip Van Bloem – East Central Region, Chris Crews – South Central Region, James M. Alexander – Southeast Region, Steve Meinhold – North Central Region and Michael D. Celano – Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

OA Personal Involvement Award 1981

National Chief Jeff Herrmann announced the original OA Personal Involvement Award at the 1979 NOAC. The program was specifically created to give incentives to Arrowmen to provide cheerful service at the unit level, the primary responsibility of each member.

Those that received the award in the first year received an award patch dated 1980. As an incentive for Arrowmen to earn the award, or to earn the award again and continue to build on a successful program, a second patch was made dated 1981.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting