Nearly 7,000 men from around the United States will arrive at Iowa State this weekend for the 1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference, an honorary camping program of the Boy Scouts of America.

The conference, held August 2-6, will provide classes on training, leadership and outdoor recreation. Various shows and celebrations, including American Indian competitions and Founders Day, will also be held, according to a Boy Scouts of America Web site.

“This is the first time this campus will be hosting NOAC, and it has been in planning by ISU for three years,” said Liz Kurt, special events coordinator of University Conference Services.

A special NOAC committee held a meeting last December to make decisions concerning the program’s theme and itinerary.

NOAC was previously held at the University of Tennessee, Purdue University and Indiana University, Kurt said.

“Iowa State’s central location in the nation, available facilities and residence hall system is what made the campus ideal for hosting this event,” she said.

Scouting instruction will take place in the morning in various classroom buildings around campus.

According to a press release, the NOAC classes will concern ceremony evaluations, leadership training and Native American events. Afternoons will have the Arrowmen participating in outdoor activities and tournaments at the Richardson Court intramural fields.

A NOAC daily newspaper will be produced on campus with contributions from conference members.

Room and board for the Arrowmen will be provided in the residence halls, including Towers, Union Drive and Richardson Court dormitories. Also, some conference attendants will stay in Ames area hotels.

“There will be conference desks in the residence halls open 24 hours to take care of any concerns,” said Anne Gansemer-Topf, RCA conference coordinator.

She said the residence hall system has had to make a few minor changes to prepare for the Arrowmen.

“We had to push ahead summer maintenance and custodial plans in order to accommodate the NOAC visitors,” Gansemer-Topf said. “Usually the staff has a few more weeks to prepare for fall, but they are doing a good job of finishing early,” she said.

Of the 7,000 Arrowmen at the conference, almost 1,000 will be NOAC staff, who will arrive this Friday to prepare for the participants.

The Iowa State Center will host a special event each night during the week, and ISU has also offered local staff to keep the conference running smoothly.

“We are utilizing the ISU ambassadors and orientation office workers for help, and Cy-Ride is coordinating the transportation around campus and Towers,” Kurt said.

“Altogether, the Scouts are a pretty self-sufficient group, though,” she said.

NOAC participants will range in age from eighth-graders to adults, but the bulk of the members will probably be college-aged, Kurt said.

“I consider it a great honor to be in the Order of the Arrow because it has been around for many years and is highly respected within the Boy Scouts,” said Jason Losh, senior in studio art and theater and brotherhood member of NOAC.

“It was my own decision to stay in scouting for so long,” Losh said. “Although it was sort of ‘uncool’ to participate during middle and high school, I’m happy I became an Eagle Scout. I realized it was teaching me skills and morals I’d use throughout life, including the respect of others’ traditions and cultures,” he said.

Gansemer-Topf said her staff is looking forward to the conference.

“Since we have never hosted this before, I look forward to the experience to see how the planning paid off,” she said.

According to the Boy Scouts of America Web site, the fee for the conference is $205 for youthful Arrowmen, while adults will pay $240. This fee provides the Scouts with housing and meals, transportation on campus, insurance and participation in NOAC programs.

National Order of the Arrow Conferences are held every other year, and next week marks the 50th anniversary of the Order.

This year also will mark the last NOAC of the 20th century.