Goshen Order of the Arrow Trail Crew

Program Concept
Amangamek-Wipit Lodge #470 has pursued a number of opportunities to educate Order youth about the benefits of outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship as well as to provide service to its Council camps at Goshen Scout Reservation. The lodge formed its first Goshen Order of the Arrow Trail Crew (GOAT) in June 2002 to take advantage of such opportunities.  "GOAT" as it is called in our lodge is modeled after the Philmont OA Trail Crew program that has been in operation for many summers.

Program Scope
The GOAT Program offers an innovative leadership and high adventure opportunity. The program challenges older Order youth and adults to experience, first-hand, the interrelationship between outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. The Trail Crew Program combines the spirit of adventure with an interactive back country program into a two week experience.

Specific benefits the Goshen Order of the Arrow Trail Program provides any participant are:

• Applying practical back country skills in direct support of our Council camps
• Learning to cooperate and to work in unity toward environmental stewardship
• Enhancing one's understanding of the Order of the Arrow
• Experiencing fun and inner satisfaction from a unique high adventure experience.

High Adventure & Outdoor Ethics
Amangamek-Wipit Lodge will form one or more GOAT crews comprised of six (6) to eight (8) Order youth per crew, aged 14 and older, and two (2) adult advisers per crew. The GOAT Crew's base camp will be Camp Baird, Goshen Scout Reservation from June 23 through July 6, 2013. 

Week One
After crew selection and formation, two adult crew overseers will accompany the crew(s) to Camp Baird on June 23, 2012. From June 24^th through June 29^th the GOAT Crew will interact with various trainers on topics related to outdoor ethics and back country conservation so that the youth crew may apply these newly learned skills across the entire breadth of the Lenhok'sin Trail system.  The crew(s) will apply what they have learned in improving the trail system, possibly building bridges, and making the hiking experience much better for all that come after them.
The GOAT Crew(s) will be introduced to Goshen's newest COPE [Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience] course that helps youth to plan, organize, and lead outdoor adventure activities. In addition, crew members can expect to be exposed to advanced outdoor skills, techniques and strategies. Examples of such skills include: Search and Rescue (SAR), fire suppression and back country risk management. Also, each participant can earn certification in Leave No Trace (LNT) ethics.

Week Two
From a variety of program options, not otherwise offered to units attending Lenhok'sin, the youth crew(s) will design a high adventure experience for themselves. On July 1^st the GOAT Crew(s) will depart Camp Baird for their multi-day adventure. Throughout the two weeks, the participants will gain a deeper understanding of the traditions within the Order of the Arrow.

Program Cost: Order of the Arrow members selected as GOAT Crew participants pay a total program cost of $150. This amount covers the costs for the fourteen (14) day high adventure experience at Goshen.

Download the Goshen Order of the Arrow Trail Crew 2013  brochure

Youth Application 2013 

Adult Application 2013 

Send us an email for further information to GOAT Adviser. Please include the following information:

• Name
• Phone
• Address
• City/Town
• State
• Zip

Do you know names of Order youth or Order adults in your unit who may be interested in participating as Goshen OA Trail Crew members? May we use your name as a resource and means to contacting these members?

Last updated 10/08/2012