Madockawanda Lodge

About the Lodge & the OA

Or, What Is This, Anyways?

In 1915, two young men served as Camp Directors of Treasure Island Scout Camp of the Philadelphia Area Council. They wanted to establish a society that would help carry the traditions of camp from year to year. These men, E. Urner Goodman and Carol A. Edson based the foundations of this group on Brotherhood, Cheerfulness and Service. Eventually, the Boy Scouts of America adopted this as an official part of their program. Today, the Order of the Arrow has evolved to be known as Scouting's National Honor Society, honoring Scouts for their dedication to the ideals of the Oath and Law.

The Order of the Arrow Lodge for Pine Tree Council is Madockawanda Lodge #271. Formed in 1944 at Camp Hinds, Madockawanda Lodge is divided up into five chapters, corresponding to the districts. Membership averages over 550 members.

In order to be a member of the OA, as it is called, a scout must be elected by the members of their unit during elections that occur each year during February, March and April. After being elected, a scout becomes a candidate for membership. He is inducted at an Ordeal Weekend, which are held three times a year. After ten months as an Ordeal member, a scout can seal their membership with the Brotherhood. Brotherhood membership is considered full membership in the Order. Some members are honored with the Vigil Honor, the highest level of membership in the Order.

The Order of the Arrow prides itself on its dedication to cheerful service. Madockawanda Lodge has done many hours of service and many notable projects in council camps. In past years, we have rebuilt the Camp Hinds council ring, Camp Bomazeen council ring, designed and installed the Camp Hinds retaining wall at the waterfront, along with painting numerous buildings and building tent platforms at both camps.

In 2008, Madockawanda Lodge performed over 9,750 hours of service to the camps, worth over $68,000 in minimum-wage labor. The Lodge was recognized for its service in 2008 with the National Service Award, one of only eight of the over 500 lodges in the nation to receive this prestigious award.

Each lodge elects youth officers, who serve one year terms, to lead the lodge. They are Chief, Vice Chief, Secretary and Treasurer. Adults also serve as advisers. There are two lodge level advisers, lodge adviser and lodge staff adviser (a professional scouter). Madockawanda Lodge holds many activities each year. We attend a conclave, the gathering of all lodges from Section NE-1A (Northern New England), every year. We also send a delegation to the National Order of the Arrow Conference, held every two years at a university in the mid-west. Each of these events provide some of the best leadership training available.

More in-depth information about the Lodge and its history is available on this website. You may also contact a Lodge Officer or Adviser.

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About the Lodge & the OA

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