Awards & Honors

The Vigil Honor is a high mark of distinction and recognition reserved for those Arrowmen who, by reason of exceptional service, personal effort, and unselfish interest, have made distinguished contributions beyond the immediate responsibilities of their position or office to one or more of the following: their Lodge, the Order of the Arrow, Scouting, or their Scout Camp. 
 
The Vigil Honor is the highest honor that the Order of the Arrow can bestow upon its members for service to lodge, council, and Scouting. It dates from the year 1915, when founder E. Urner Goodman became the first Vigil Honor Member. Since then, thousands of members have been given this honor.

The Founders’ Award recognizes those Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to the Lodge. The award is reserved for an Arrowman who demonstrates to his fellow Arrowmen that he memorializes in his everyday life the sprit of achievement as described by founder E. Urner Goodman. It was established to reinforce the values first instilled by the founders in the early days of the Order. From its inception, The Founders’ Award has been highly restricted and bestowed only upon those individuals who best exemplify the vision and quest of the founders.

James E. West was appointed to the position of Chief Scout Executive in 1910 by the founding leadership of Scouting in America. West worked with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, Daniel Carter Beard, Ernest T. Seton, and many interested community leaders to give direction to the infant program of Boy Scouts of America.
 
The James E. West Fellowship Award is a recognition presented to individuals who contribute $1,000 or more to the council endowment fund. Lodges may contribute an award in honor of a member who has made a lasting impact on the lodge. There can be no finer honor paid to a Scouter than to be named a James E. West Fellow, indicating that the nominee is in the same spirit and dedication to Scouting as was James E. West.

The Ralph Deer Memorial Service Award was established in 2011 in honor of past Lodge Adviser Ralph Deer to recognize Lodge Brothers whose service to Owaneco Lodge honors his memory.  'Uncle Ralph' was an outstanding and dedicated member of his community, a lifetime member of the Boy Scouts and a beloved member of the Order of the Arrow.  He was without a doubt a man who lived everyday according to the Scout Oath and Law.  Recipient of the Quartermaster Award and a Vigil Honor member, Uncle Ralph led by example and by his outstanding character.  This award is presented to youth or adults who, through actions and words, serve as an example of the great qualities we admired in Uncle Ralph Deer. 

The Distinguished Service Award was created in 1940 to honor those who rendered service to the Order beyond the lodge level. The award is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The award is presented every two to three years during the National Order of the Arrow Conference. Since the time the first awards were presented, 909 Distinguished Service Awards have been awarded.

Our organization’s centennial provided a unique opportunity to commemorate those among us who are examples of the “high ideals and purpose of the Order of the Arrow.” The Centurion Award highlights the “Hometown Heroes,” or Arrowmen who have meaningfully contributed to the forming, maturing and ongoing operational excellence of their local council’s lodge, and who, in doing so, inspired others to follow in their footsteps.

This award is a one-time recognition associated with the centennial anniversary of the OA that is bestowed by the national Order of the Arrow committee. It is modeled after a similar program in the BSA’s 100th anniversary celebration, the 2010 National Hall of Leadership. Accordingly, this recognition is an opportunity to highlight lodge development over the last century and the many individuals, both youth and adult, who were instrumental to this success. These honorees serve as examples of leadership, modeling to others a commitment to cheerful service as the Order of the Arrow entered its second century.

Each nominee must be designated as either a youth or adult contributor. A youth contributor denotes that the nominee’s service period occurred while he was under 21 years of age. An adult contributor denotes that the nominee’s service period occurred while he or she was over 21 years of age. An adult contributor can be recognized for his or her service as a professional or volunteer. The minimum service period is 3 years for a youth contributor and 6 years for an adult contributor.