The national OA is celebrating its 100th anniversary

Staff report

WARREN

The Boy Scouts of America, Greater Western Reserve Council’s Wapashuwi Lodge-Order of the Arrow will have its 2015 Centennial Winter Banquet Awards and Recognitions program Saturday at Sorrento’s Banquet Hall, 2488 Parkman Road NW.

Fellowship begins at 4 p.m. followed by dinner at 5 and presentation of awards and recognitions about 5:45 p.m.

Awards include the Wapashuwi Lodge Arrowman of the Year Award presented to one youth and one adult for outstanding service and the Founders Award, the highest National OA award presented to an Arrowman at the lodge level.

The Greater Western Reserve Boy Scout Council and its Wapashuwi Lodge serves families in Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Mahoning, Trumbull and the eastern portion of Portage counties. The OA has more than 180,000 members in lodges affiliated with 310 BSA Councils.

Founded in 1915, the Order of the Arrow is Scouting’s National Honor Society and has a focus on leadership development, membership extension, adventurous programming and service to Scouting and the community, said Mike Kupec, volunteer Wapashuwi Lodge communications adviser.

In 2015, the OA is celebrating its 100th anniversary with numerous activities, including the Centennial National Order of the Arrow Conference in August at Michigan State University with more than 15,000 Arrowmen. It is the 20th anniversary of Wapashuwi Lodge.