Blue Heron Lodge Overview!
Blue Heron Lodge is the Order of the Arrow (OA) Lodge for Tidewater Council. OA is Scouting’s National Honor Society. As Scouting’s Honored Scouts, members of Blue Heron Lodge visit Pipsico Scout Reservation on a regular basis to perform service to camp. Several of the buildings you see at camp, including the OA Shelter, the pump house, and the Gregson Welcome Center were built by the OA. The OA assists with the preparation of Camp Lions for summer camp by erecting tents on the platforms, clearing debris from the sites, and performing other tasks to improve camp for the enjoyment of Scouts.
New to the Order of the Arrow?
Need some quick info about the Order of the Arrow and your first Ordeal?
What is the Order of the Arrow?
I went through my Ordeal. Now what?
Who can be in the Order of the Arrow?
Click here for more info: [Welcome to the Order of the Arrow]
The Order of the Arrow is an organization within the Boy Scouts of America that provides service and leadership opportunities for older Scouts. It is the BSA’s honored camper society and is dedicated to cheerful service.
If you are a member of the OA, the Lodge needs your help. The first thing to do is to start attending your chapter meeting. Important information about upcoming events is given out at chapter meetings and you need to be there to keep up to date with what is going on in the lodge.
Then, start coming to the lodge events. We have several service days up at camp each year (Ordeals) and a Fall Fellowship, where we have a weekend of fun and games. We also have an annual fellowship of the lodges in our section called the “Conclave”. This weekend is always exciting and is fun for all. In 2017, we hosted the Conclave and we will do so again in 2023.
The OA is often referred to as “Scouting’s Honor Society”. Membership in the OA is granted only to those who are elected by their own troop. Thus, members are selected primarily by non-members.
Election into the Order of the Arrow is fairly unique. The OA is one of few organizations where selection is made by primarily non-members. Each year, troops, ships, and crews are permitted to hold an Order of the Arrow election. Traditionally, the elections are held prior to the March Service and Ordeal Weekend, but it is permissible for it to be held at any time during the year. All youth members, as well as Scouters under the age of twenty-one, are permitted to vote in this election. Troops that elect at least one youth are eligible to nominate adults for consideration.
To request that an OA election team visit your unit, please contact your chapter.