When our OA chapter leaders met last August, they created a grand vision of reestablishing a ceremony team in our district. They believed they could pull together enough Arrowmen to have both the Callout and Brotherhood ceremonies led by our scouts. To attain their vision, they took steps forward including attending the Ceremony Workshop held at Lost Pines by Tonkawa Lodge. Jack Pape and Grace Hearn spent the weekend immersed in classes to help them understand the purpose and all the mechanics of ceremonies: regalia, footwear, headwear, pronunciation, blocking, and symbolism. In addition, Grace Hearn and Kate Pape completed their Brotherhood membership in a ceremony. With sights set on the upcoming camporee, the Brotherhood team started to read through scripts, practice blocking, assess the condition of regalia, and recruit members. These were not easy tasks as they involved many people. Thomas Wilson joined their efforts.
By April there were two separate teams, one for Callout and one for Brotherhood. Christian Swint headed up the Callout team and recruited Ethan Pope, Dylan Meath, Ryan James, and Travis McLane. At Camporee Ethan Matt was the final member added to the team. They practiced on-site to make sure they were ready for the evening campfire. They debuted their ceremony and were happy to help announce the new candidates for OA making it a special memory for everyone. Afterward, four of the team members left on the Brotherhood hike to complete their Brotherhood.
Meanwhile, the Brotherhood team added their fourth member and a guide. Caleb Trollope joined as a principal role and Kate Pape would lead the reflective hike. They also practiced at camporee to make sure they were confident in their performance. They finished the ceremony and were elated with their debut. All the new Brotherhood members were congratulated and very grateful for the dedication of the ceremony team. Many members decided that it wasn’t as scary as it first seemed and that they rather liked being part of the team. Special thanks to JT Devenport, Steven Worthy, and Karl Urban who helped the teams rehearse.
When the chapter meets to discuss visions for the next year, they may be expanding their ceremonies teams. If you are in the OA and interested in joining the ceremonies teams, please let your chapter leaders know.
Special Highlight: Grace Hearn
Grace Hearn is our first female ceremonialist in North Shore (and we’re pretty sure the first in Council!). Although it was outside her comfort zone, she wanted to challenge herself. She spent countless hours memorizing the script and practicing the lines and movements. She said it was not as hard as she thought it would be and was extremely happy with the results of the Brotherhood ceremony. Her participation in the team paves the way for more female ceremonialists. Her dedication to the role of Kichkinet, the welcoming guide along the journey through the evening, made the night extra special for her Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters who participated in the ceremony. This fall Grace will lead the North Shore Chapter as Vice Chief of Ceremonies.
