OA COVID-19 Update – 5/28/2020 – Cancellations, Refunds, and Future Events

OA COVID-19 Update – 5/28/2020 – Cancellations, Refunds, and Future Events

Arrowmen and Parents:

These times have been unprecedented, and we hope you and your families are continuing to follow guidelines, for stay-at-home, social distancing, masks in public, and that you are all in good health and spirits.

With last week’s Council decision to not hold resident camping this Summer at the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation due to Covid-19, it was necessary to cancel all OA activities this Spring/Summer as well. The hoped for June OA “replacement weekend” will also not be held, as currently we can not have gatherings of more than 25.

We had previously asked OA members and Candidates to hold their registration to be used at a future OA Weekend. With so many events cancelled and no ability to hold them this Spring/Summer, it became necessary to find a suitable way to refund members for those events which will not be held. After discussing with the Council Executive, it was decided that we will be refunding all members who registered for Spring and Summer events (April OA Weekend, May OA Weekend, Conclave, and NOAC).

Further, it was decided that this reimbursement would be easiest to process by mailing refund checks to all members who had been registered. If a registration was paid individually, that individual will receive the refund check. If a unit paid a registration fee, then the unit will receive the refund check.

Therefore, earlier this week, we began working with the business manager of the Council Service Center to start processing refunds. You will not need to take any action. If you registered and paid for one of these events, you will be getting a refund check. As stated previously from the Council, because the staff currently still is not conducting regular business hours, refund checks may take 30-45 days to process.

NOAC — If you were registered for NOAC and left Mr. Davenport know your intent to attend the MOMENTUM event at Summit Bechtel Reserve instead of NOAC, those funds will be moved to MOMENTUM. Otherwise, you will get a refund check.

SEPTEMBER OA WEEKEND – Please note that at this time, all registrations for the September OA Weekend will remain unchanged.  We are hopeful that by September we will be in a position to safely hold some type of OA Weekend event, with a final decision on that to occur later in the year.

CANDIDATES — A special note to our recently elected Candidates. We are doing everything possible to find ways for you to take your Ordeal and join the Order of the Arrow this year. We will try to hold our September OA Weekend if conditions allow. As mentioned previously, due to the situation, the national office of the OA has approved allowing you to complete your Ordeal any time within 24 months of your election, so you are all eligible to take your Ordeal any time next year if necessary. Have patience. We know you are as excited to join as we are to have you join. We will be in contact with Candidates later this year about re-registering to take your Ordeal.

SECTION CONCLAVE — Mark your calendars. A Summer replacement activity for the Section NE-6B Conclave originally scheduled for Jun 5-7, a Virtual Section Gathering, is being planned for July 18, which will be open to all current Lodge members.  Details from the Section are still in the works and as we find out more, we will let everyone know, but it is anticipate that a number of Section, Region, and National youth leaders will be a part of the program.

CAMP SUPPORT — Camp will still need the OA’s support over the Summer. As counties move from Red to Yellow to Green status, we will try to make opportunities for individuals and small groups to help with camp service, maintenance and other opportunities if we can do so safely!

We will constantly be looking for opportunities which may allow for creative solutions to holding another Ordeal Weekend and/or social events (online or in-person) as we can do so safely. As things change, we will continue to let you know of updates via email and the web site (www.kittatinny5.org).  Please share OA news with others in your unit, your Scout leaders, etc.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lodge Adviser, Glenn Piper, at gspiper@gmail.com.

Until we meet in person, stay safe, and stay firm in the Order !

Yours in the WWW,

Kittatinny Lodge 5
Order of the Arrow

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