The Founder's Award

Introduced at the 1981 National Order of the Arrow Conference, the Founder's Award was created to honor and recognize those Arrowmen who have given outstanding service to their lodge. The award is reserved for an Arrowmen who demonstrates to fellow Arrowmen that he or she memorializes in his or her everyday life the spirit of achievement as described by founder E. Urner Goodman and cofounder Carroll A. Edson.

The Award is a handsome bronze medallion bearing the likenesses of E. Urner Goodman and cofounder Carroll A. Edson, with wooden base and brass plate suitable for engraving. Also available is a special Founder's Award arrow ribbon, with a gold colored arrow suspended from a red ribbon.

Lodges may petition the national Order of the Arrow Committee to present up to four awards annually, based on lodge membership. If the lodge presents more than one award, one must be to a youth under the age of 21. Nominations must be made on form No. 24-137.

In 1983, the O-Shot-Caw Lodge recognized Thomas Tatham with its first Founder's Award.  Since that time, many additional Arrowmen have been recognized as listed below.

The Vigil Honor

Alertness to the needs of others is the mark of the Vigil Honor. It calls for an individual with an unusual awareness of the possibilities within each situation.

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. Membership cannot be won by a person's conscious endeavors.

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 of office to one or more of the following:

• Lodge
• Order of the Arrow
• Scouting community
• Scout Camp

Under NO circumstances should tenure in Scouting or the Order of the Arrow be considered as reason enough for a Vigil Honor recommendation.

Any member of the Order of the Arrow registered in Scouting and in good standing in a regularly chartered lodge is eligible for recommendation to the National Order of the Arrow Committee for elevation to the Vigil Honor provided that, at the time of the recommendation, the individual has been a Brotherhood member for a minimum of two years. A lodge may nominate a maximum of two percent of their registered Arrowmen once a year, through the Vigil Honor petition, found in the annual re-charter packet. At least 50 percent of all nominated must be under 21 at the time of nomination.

In 1956, the O-Shot-Caw Lodge honored Joseph and Richard Galeano with the first Vigil Honors for the Lodge.  Since then, the O-Shot-Caw Lodge has recognized additional Arrowmen as worthy of the Vigil Honor, as listed below.