Service Hours Guidelines for Lodges

The following types of activities are acceptable:

  • Camp promotion visitations (1 hour maximum per visitation per person)
  • Service performed at council Scout camps
  • Staff for council or district events and activities
  • Staff for community events
  • Ordeal work projects (work performed by both members and candidates may be counted)
  • Community service projects
  • Ceremonies performed as a service to the community or Boy Scouts of America (i.e., arrow of light ceremony, court of honor presentations, American Indian dancing or singing, etc.)

The following types of activities are unacceptable:

  • Projects in which the lodge, chapter or any member receives some type of material or financial compensation (not including meals during the project)
  • OA ceremonies, unit elections or other official OA functions (including practices and set-up for such ceremonies)
  • Dance, singing or drum practices
  • Lodge, chapter, officer and/or adviser training and the preparation for such activities
  • Staff for lodge or chapter Ordeals
  • Service projects performed for any for-profit business that will benefit financially from the service (churches, governments, and community centers should be considered non-profit.)
  • Summer camp staff or any staff members who are financially compensated for their work
  • Attendance at section, lodge or chapter meetings
  • Simply attending an OA function where service is not provided (i.e., attending an Ordeal but not working, conclaves, etc.)

There shall be no minimum number of lodge or chapter members required at any one project in order to claim hours.

There will be no limit to the number of hours that may be recorded per Arrowman per twenty-four hour workday, provided that he/she has done the work for which he/she was logged. These hours should not include time spent for meals, travel, or breaks. Sleep time should not be counted even if the Arrowman is “on call” during the project. The lodge or chapter should provide evidence that verifies each individual Arrowman’s service hours. This verification could be in the form of a “sign-in/sign-out sheet.”

All service projects should allow for at least eight (8) hours of sleep to comply with Boy Scouts of America policy.