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A Legacy of Service: Youth Coming Back as Advisers

  Frank Schaefer             Officer Outlook

A Legacy of Service: Youth Coming Back as Advisers

Membership in the Order of the Arrow is for life. Part of being an Arrowmen is answering the call to cheerful service. This principle extends beyond the Scouting program, for it allows Arrowmen to set a positive example for others. Throughout Scouting and the OA, there are many different opportunities to serve both as a youth and an adult. 

Lowaneu  Allanque Lodge has a strong tradition of members of the Order of the Arrow who were involved as youth, returning to service as adults to help shape the future of the OA. In 1991, David Stoner was a youth when he was inducted into Glikhikan Lodge. Then, inspired by his father, David started to learn the ceremonies of the OA to become a ceremonialist. As David became more involved, he joined the lodge's inductions and ceremony teams, as well as the lodge's dance team. David would go on to serve as lodge chief for two years, receiving the Vigil Honor along the way in 1993.

Then in 1996, Lowaneu Allanque Lodge was formed as Natokiokan Lodge and Glikhikan Lodge had merged. Due to his experience and willingness to work with others in the merger, David was elected the inaugural lodge chief of Lowaneu Allanque Lodge. He later served as a lodge vice chief and a chapter chief to help create the best experience for Arrowmen possible. In these roles, David helped build the lodge and grow membership by bringing people together and highlighting the strengths of the newly formed lodge through great events. David continued to be involved while in college helping with ceremonies and creating the lodge website. With time school and work made it more difficult for David to attend lodge meetings, and one event in 2002 changed it all: the birth of his son, Daniel. Later in the year, in 2002 David took Daniel to his very first OA event. The birth of his son would bring David back to the lodge in the distant future. In the lodge publication of the time a photo of David and Daniel was published as follows:

Telling a story of the future to come.
Telling a story of the future to come.

As Daniel grew up, he got involved in Scouting as a Cub Scout. This helped David get re-engaged and he started to start to volunteer with the unit. Then, in 2014, the district was in need of a chapter adviser. Knowing that Daniel was just starting in the BSA they felt David’s OA experience could be warranted to help lead the future of the chapter and the OA. So he took on this new challenge with his son growing up in the Scouting program. He served as a chapter adviser for 6 years and within that time Daniel was inducted into the OA. Daniel began to help out and serve in a few different positions within the chapter and the lodge. Then in 2020, David was approached and asked to be the next lodge adviser of Lowaneu Allanque. He once again stepped up and took on this new journey. In 2021, the same evening the announcement was made that David was taking on the role of lodge adviser, his son, Daniel, was elected Lowaneu Allanque Lodge Chief. David served a three-year term from 2021-2023 as the lodge adviser for Lowaneu Allanque, as David put it “helping mentor the youth that will lead the future”.

David pictured with the three lodge chiefs who served while he was the lodge adviser, including his son Daniel (pictured right).
David pictured with the three lodge chiefs who served while he was the lodge adviser, including his son Daniel (pictured right).  

Following his three-year term as lodge adviser, he has stepped back from this role. He continued to serve on the Lowaneu Allanque Lodge Executive Committee as the lodge’s quartermaster adviser, where he was responsible for helping the quartermaster manage the lodge’s resources. What started out as serving as the first lodge chief of a newly merged lodge, resulted in the mentoring of his own son to become a leader in the lodge. David’s actions have left a legacy of service for Arrowmen in his Scouting community for generations past, present, and future. David, reflecting on his time in Scouting up to the present day said, “(that) Scouting is for the youth. I feel that was something I reinforced both as a youth and an adult. As an adult, it’s my job to teach the youth and to help facilitate opportunities for them to make the program what they want it to be, and as a youth, it was an opportunity to learn and grow.”

Later on, when reflecting on this idea of leaving a legacy and continuing the tradition of service that he’s been following in his journey he said that he feels, “the success of the lodge, the growth of the lodge, the memories and brotherhood we all share, that is our legacy. My goal has always been to help to leave this organization better than I found it.”

Other youth members of Lowaneu Allanque Lodge have also returned as adult members. Byran Bond was a ceremonialist, camp staff member, and elections team member. Through his time in the OA, he took on various leadership roles, such as chapter vice chief. He also received the Vigil Honor in 2007. Though he moved away for school, he came back to serve his lodge. “I came back to my unit and the OA because when I left, I felt like a piece of me was missing. The OA and Scouting gave so much to me that I felt that it was needed for me to give back and to help create experiences for the youth of today and tomorrow.” Bryan now serves as the Vigil adviser, a role he has had since 2015. He is also the associate adviser of chapters, a position he undertook in 2023.

Bryan (pictured second from right) serving as the Vigil adviser at the lodge’s vigil selection meeting.
Bryan (pictured second from right) serving as the Vigil adviser at the lodge’s vigil selection meeting.

These are two advisers in Lowaneu Allanque Lodge who have given service to the lodge in very different ways. They had different journeys through the Order of the Arrow and are inspiring stories of continuing service and leaving a legacy!