In this email you will find:

Getting Ready: NOAC Ceremonies Competitions

Pre-Ordeal and Vigil Competitions

Do you think your Ceremony team is one of the Top 10 in the nation? Ceremonies Competitions may be for you!

New for NOAC 2009 is a competition for Pre-Ordeal and Vigil ceremony teams. We're looking for the top 10 teams in the nation to be filmed for upcoming Ceremonies training videos. Teams who enter the competition will have their preliminary performances taped on Sunday. Finalists will perform in front of a panel of judges during a taping in a TV studio on Wednesday. The top 3 teams in Pre-Ordeal and Vigil will win a trophy and be announced at the Closing Show.

Please note that Ceremony Competition is separate from the Ceremony Evaluations. A team does not have to enter the Competition in order to participate in the Evaluations. All teams that enter the Competition must also participate in the Evaluations.

Pre-Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil Ceremony Evaluations

Does your team have what it takes to earn an Honor Medal? Are you looking for a way to improve ceremonies in your lodge? Join us for Ceremony Evaluations!

The goal of the 2009 NOAC Ceremony Evaluations is to improve ceremonial performances and the quality of the induction experience for the candidates. Teams that meet the Honor standard will be recognized with Honor Medals. There is no need for teams to be highly experienced to participate. Inexperienced teams should be able to improve significantly from participating in the evaluations. More experienced teams will benefit as well by receiving suggestions from the highly qualified Evaluations Staff.

Please note that the Ceremony Evaluations are separate from the Competition. A team does not have to enter the Competition in order to participate in the Evaluations.

Getting Ready: Arrowmen Press Corps

If journalism is your area of interest, why not join the Arrowman Press Corps! This summer at NOAC, certain individuals will be able to have special access to parts of NOAC that only few will see! The purpose of the Arrowman Press Corps is to let these Arrowmen report on parts of NOAC and send them in a press release to their local newspaper. This not only gives the Arrowman a taste of journalism, but also gives information to the Lodge or Chapter's local area newspaper so that people in the area know what happened and how much fun we had. There is an option online to join the Arrowman Press Corps, and we are accepting one member per contingent. All we ask is a small amount of your time, the Arrowman Press Corps will give you access to the meet the man sessions and backstage at some of the shows during NOAC. We'll be there. Will you?

The last edition of News You Can Use stated that each contingent would be allowed to send one youth and one adult to the National Council of Chiefs. This information is incorrect. Each lodge is encouraged to register and send the Lodge Chief, a future lodge leader, and an adult to the NCOC at NOAC 2009.

Getting Ready: NOAC Radio

Looking for something to keep you entertained as you walk between training sessions? Need a good soundtrack when hanging out with your friends after the show? Well The Power of One radio will be broadcasting live all day long to bring you just that. Wake up with the morning show from 6 am- 8:30 am, grab lunch with the Power of One lunch hour from 11:11 am-1:11 pm or wind down from a fun day with our evening show from 10 pm-11 pm. Be sure to bring your radios to Conference with you so you don’t miss out on hit music, weather updates and schedule changes as they happen. You also won’t want to miss out on the fun contests and giveaways that will be going on throughout the day. If you want to be part of the fun and excitement you can impress your friends by signing up for a chance to guest DJ. Finally, look for us each night at the pre-show gatherings as we broadcast live from outside of the Gathering Hall.

Arrowmen In Action: Living Life To The Fullest

HarrisonFor many Arrowmen, giving back to the community means picking and completing one project or working closely with a few groups. But for Russell Harrison—an Eagle Scout and Arrowman from Colonneh Lodge in Houston, Texas—giving back means helping many groups with a variety of tasks both big and small. “Being a community volunteer is part of Russell’s life whether it is through scouting or on his own,” says his mother, Susan Harrison.

[Arrowmen In Action]When Russell is not taking part in troop activities or working with his chapter’s drum and singing team, he is helping elsewhere around the community. A few things he does includes volunteering with Kindergarteners at a local school, working the sound board for his church and taking part in conservation projects to encourage recycling. “These activities he has participated in have grown into an impressive array of support he has shown for thousands,” his mother said. Some of Russell’s favorite volunteer activities include working on the George Ranch, a living history museum, where he can work in the blacksmith shop, the Stock farm or the sharecropper farm. His interest in history has also led him to work with the local railroad museum. He spends so much time that some of their promotional material even features his picture.

His mother says that his motivation comes from his faith. “Russell’s faith is a very big part of his life.” He is active in the youth group at St. John’s United Methodist Church where he helps take food to elderly church members, makes care packages for the homeless and helps host the vacation Bible school, among other things.

Despite his involvement in scouts and his commitment to many other organizations, Russell still uses the power of one to give back to his community…how can you use it to help others?

Featured Trading Post Item: OA Computer Bag

Looking to stay connected on the go? Look no further than this OA Computer Bag! Embroidered with the 2009 NOAC Logo, this computer bag is perfect for the on-the-go Arrowmen. Available for only $38, check it out here.

Remember the Power of One

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” - Confucius

Questions?
The answers to "Frequently Asked Questions" are on the NOAC Website at http://event.oa-bsa.org/events/n2009/faq.htm. Please send any questions regarding NOAC to nept@oa-bsa.org. Questions regarding your lodge contingent should be directed to your lodge contingent leader.
News You Can Use Archive
Missed a News You Can Use Issue? Accidentally deleted it? Check out the News You Can Use archive where you can find all the past issues here.
National Event Site NOAC Registration Site NOAC Trading Post Join the NOAC Email List NOAC re:Mix