At the 2016 Blair Atholl International Patrol Jamborette in Scotland, I met a young Scottish Scout who asked if I was one of the “Red Arrow Guys.” Confused, I asked her to explain. She proceeded to me about visiting a Scout camp in Florida and being given a white sash with an embroidered red arrow. She just thought the red arrow looked cool and wondered if I had one. She didn’t know she was talking about the Order of the Arrow.

The what? It’s true that the average reader of this column will have never heard of the Order of the Arrow, even though it has been the National Honor Society of Scouting America since 1915. The purpose of the organization within Scouting sounds important: “To forge lifelong bonds among the leaders in Scouting and recognize those who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives and, through that recognition, cause others to act in the same way.”

What it boils down to is willingly and cheerfully serving others, and through your example, inspiring others to do the same. In this way, a few dedicated individuals can change the world. To thousands of Scouts across the country, the white sash and red arrow represent a higher calling to something bigger than themselves. Maybe even bigger than Scouting.

Thousands of Scouts are elected by their peers to become Arrowmen every year. Those young men and women dedicate themselves to a life of Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service. They pledge to put the needs of others above their own, and to work for peaceful and positive change in Scouting, in our communities, and in the world.

I  became an Arrowman in Wenasa Quenhotan lodge in 2008. I have worn a number of hats in the organization. All are meant to give youth opportunities to lead and cheerfully serve others.

As I said, you can be excused for having never heard of the OA. As an organization, it is not very visible to the public. Every year, OA members in our lodge give hundreds of hours to maintain and improve their home summer camp, Ingersoll Scout Reservation. Arrowmen also serve on the staff of district and council events, and represent the best of Scouting at other activities. Trouble is, the public rarely sees or hears about those sacrifices of time and talent.

That could change in coming months. A new initiative in Wenasa Quenhotan lodge hopes to boost awareness of the Order of the Arrow through more public and community-focused service. Public-facing projects will allow more organizations and communities to see the impact of servant leadership. In a world where self-interest often stands as the highest goal, the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service stands out as “unselfish in the service and devotion to the welfare of others.”

So, if you see young men and women picking up trash along the highway, supporting a charitable event, collecting food for the needy, or some other community service, you might start seeing the white sash and red arrow. It tells you that the Red Arrow Guys are at work changing the world.

Scout On!

Scott Fishel wears several hats in Scouting, including a longtime association with Troop 178 in Morton. You can contact him at [email protected]. Find a Scout unit in your community at beascout.org.