Background
In 1995 the National OA committe made a decision to support a one-year program at the Philmont Scout Ranch to assist in the building of a new hiking trail. The commitment by the OA was part of its national "year of service". Importantly, the vision for this trail crew plan came from Arrowmen who had served on the staff at Philmont. Brothers from SR-7B were implemental in the fomation of such a program and helped guide it during its early years into the present state. From the outset the group charged with implementing the project focused on creating an innovative outdoor education program to capitalize on the essential ingredients of Scouting: camaraderie, youth leadership, inspirition, positive environment, motivation and the great outdoors. This program became known as OA Trail Crew. In the subsequent years, a second program was created at Northern Tier High Adventure Base in Minnesota. Most recently a third program was implemented at the Flordia Sea Base. The service rendered has been base noted in the United States Congressional Record.
Collectively the three programs have provided a new direction for the national organization. As a capstone, the National OA Committee has completed a special venture in the summer of 2008 callled ArrowCorps5. An ambitious project, the concept is to branch out from BSA bases and provide conservation stewardship to public land, throughout the United States.


Concept for the SR-7B Trail Program
For the Section and its Lodges to support the building of the Mountain to Sea Trail (MST). This concept has been developed in part with Jeff Brewer (current President of the Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail orgnization, was a former staff member of OA Trail Crew) and the six Lodges of our Section. Based on the connection between Section SR-7B and the original Trail Crew at Philmont, and ArrowCorps5, organized service workdays on the MST are a perfect fit. Unlike the national OA high adventure programs, the proposal is open to adults. Through coordination we currently are planning for two workdays, one in the fall and one in the spring. 

Check out the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Site for Upcoming Workdays:

http://www.ncmst.org/news.html

1) Youth and Adult Arrowman are eligible.

2) The award applies to the trails of North Carolina only.

3) A minimum of 100 service-hours of trail service must be performed. Written documentation with locations, dates, and signatures are required and due to Occoneechee Lodge three weeks prior to Conclave.

4) "Trail Service" is defined as flagging, construction, or maintenance on a North Carolina trail.

5) Hours performed on BSA property will NOT be counted as trail service for this award.

Participation in the SR-7B Trail Workdays can towards the meeting the requirements for the SR-7B Trail Service Award.