By Nick Pedersen
One of the main principles of the Order of the Arrow is leadership in cheerful service to others. While there won't be a national program of emphasis in 2014 as we prepare for the 100th anniversary, "The Year of the Lodge" will be promoted as lodges continue doing the local work that makes the organization thrive. Lodges are encouraged to focus on areas of growth in discussion with their Scout Executive.
Living out the principle of cheerful service and leadership, Arrowmen from Sections C-1A, C-1B, and C-3A are currently planning a major service project for August 2014. Called ArrowPower2014, the week-long service project will be in partnership with the National Park Service.
The purpose of ArrowPower is to provide service on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. This National Park is a great project match for the OA, as many of the troops in the surrounding area have overnight camps and canoe trips along the river. Projects will greatly enhance the usability of the National Park and will include invasive species removal, campsite and landing restoration and repair, a survey of the Park boundaries, a population study of endangered species that live on the river, and expanding the Ice Age hiking trail that wanders along the Park.
ArrowPower2014 will be held August 17 – 23 around Trego, Wisconsin, and is open to Arrowmen of all ages from across the nation that meet the BSA high adventure fitness qualifications. More information can be found online at the event website (http://arrowpower.sectionc1b.org) or on the official ArrowPower2014 Facebook page. Registration forms will be available in the near future for the project. ArrowPower is modeled after the 2008 national Order of the Arrow ArrowCorps5 projects, which partnered with the US Forest Service for OA members to provide service at five national forests.
The first ArrowPower project was held in 2011 for the Central Region, Area 1. Sections C-1A and C-1B joined together with the US Forest Service for a week of service in the Superior National Forest. That project was a great success, with over 10,000 feet of brand-new Mountain Biking trails built and over 1,600 feet of new boardwalk constructed on the Superior Hiking Trail. In 2011, Arrowmen showed their intensity when they completed 95% of the planned tasks in 3 workdays, when the initial day was a complete rain-out. "Plan B isn’t always Plan A with a raincoat," as safety officer Katherine Syverson remarked. The leadership opted for team-building exercises and simple projects inside the host school for the days that weather proved to be challenging.
Day-trip recreation opportunities will be included in the ArrowPower2014 event, similar toArrowCorps5, ensuring that the participants get to enjoy the features of the area that we’re improving. Details are still being worked out, but these activities could include tubing, rafting, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, sailing on Lake Superior, or horseback riding. "ArrowPower2014 is going to be a great opportunity for all of us together to keep the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers a wild and scenic place for future generations of Americans to enjoy," according to Jonathan Moore, National Park Service Volunteer Coordinator at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
Interested in attending? Save the date, and keep checking the website and social media channels related to this great event to keep up-to-date!