Two Arrowmen reflect on decades of OA history
By Owen Clapp
NOAC 2015 has attracted Arrowmen from all walks of life. Some are attending for the first time, while others are seasoned NOAC veterans. Two of the most experienced NOAC attendees this year are Del Loder and Don Thom.
Del Loder has lived the NOAC theme “It Starts with Us” throughout his life, long before the theme was announced for NOAC 2015. Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Loder has put his life’s work into the Boy Scouts of America and the Order of the Arrow, ever since he joined Scouting at the age of seven.
He has held multiple positions in the BSA, starting with serving as the assistant Scoutmaster of his troop. In the OA, he served as the adviser to his lodge historian, the Brotherhood committee adviser and later a member of the National Order of the Arrow Committee.
From all of his experience, Loder would say to the Arrowmen to attend the 125th and 150th anniversary NOACs to “relive the traditions” of the OA while making it “bigger and better than ever before.”
Don Thom has worked hard in his time as a part of the BSA and the OA, living up to his suggestion to “move up” in the OA and to “stick with it” no matter what the challenges.
Thom worked with the national committee for 25 years, specifically with American Indian affairs, making sure that the relationship with Native Americans and the OA was safe and sound, dealing with many challenges.
Thom presented at the Fish and Wildlife Regional Office in Nashville, Tennessee in 1975 to explain the OA’s connection with Native American customs. Through his experience, he learned that you have to “meet people halfway” to get things done. This was just one of many times Thom worked with outside stakeholders to address the OA’s use of Native American culture. As a result of Thom’s commitment to the Order and his willingness to work with those who took issue with some of the OA’s practices, an understanding of Native American culture came about at future NOACs and the OA in general.
Thom’s words of wisdom for future Arrowmen would be that “your time will come if you want it to happen,” no matter what the cause, for centuries of service to come.