Providence Park Baptist Church celebrates 25 years of continuous Scouting in 1989. Troop 491 was reorganized in 1964, and was led by Raymond Cowans, who served as Scoutmaster five years.
The unit was first chartered as Troop 91 in 1942, having been organized by James Thornton, Melvin Davis and Sylvester C. Booker. In the early days of the troop, Rev. J. J. Woodson was pastor of Providence Park, located on Ladies Mile Road near Richmond's Highland Park and Northside communities. Booker was the first Scoutmaster and received the Silver Beaver award in 1951.
Troop 491 produced four Eagle Scouts during the latter half of the '60s: Thomas Shaw, Jr., and Milton Jackson advanced in 1965. Donald Ferguson and Jackson Burrell became Eagles a few years later. Raymond Cowans completed his tenure as Scoutmaster in 1969 and was succeeded by Robert G. Lankford, Stanley Jackson, Curtis White, John Morton and William Green. Throughout most of the last decade, Boy Scouts at Providence Park Baptist Church have been led by Al Flowers, who became Scoutmaster in 1981.
Al Flowers reports that 33 boys are registered in the unit and that 25 of them are active. Flowers is happy to say that the parents of the boys serve as leaders, but that recruiting male volunteers is still difficult. Most of the Scouts now come from families which live outside the neighborhood. "The Providence Park community is in transition," Flowers observes. "When I was a Scout here, we walked to meetings. The neighborhood is changing." Nevertheless, Troop 491 is making an effort to get boys residing in Providence Park to participate in its Scouting program. "We have a problem recruiting boys from the neighborhood," says Flowers. "The few we have gotten have enjoyed it."
Al Flowers advocates "letting the Scouting program do the selling" when it comes to recruiting boys. "The camping program is the key -- doing something away from church. The outdoors lures boys. Our Scouting program has grown by a slow process of word of mouth. The program is what draws and holds boys -- because they have a good time. Other boys hear about it from their friends. Parents are attracted by the morality aspect," Flowers recounts. The Scoutmaster is pleased with camping opportunities available to his unit. "Camp Brady Saunders is an excellent facility. It is nationally rated. It's one of the finest in the nation. During Thanksgiving weekend, the older boys in the troop go on an annual backpacking excursion to the Blue Ridge Mountains," says Flowers.
Scouting's nationwide theme of "Fun With A Purpose" evokes enthusiasm from Flowers. "It shows that Scouting will not draw a boy away from what he likes, but will enhance his enjoyment with merit badges for school and sports. In football, the coach signs for a merit badge. There is a scholarship merit badge for a 'B' average or better. "God And Country" emblems can be earned by baptized Scouts," Flowers enumerates. The Scouting program has been successful at Providence Park: Charles Flowers, the Scoutmaster's son, and Billy Ferguson, son of a deacon, advanced to become Eagle scouts in 1987.
Troop 491 thrives with the solid support it receives from Providence Park Baptist Church. "Providence believes in the program as more than an after-school recreation. The church recognizes Scouting as an educational experience, as part of its youth ministry. Scouting has support from our pastor, Rev. Miles Jones, from our deacons and, right on down the line, from our congregation," Flowers commends. Flowers says he likes Rev. Jones' approach in nurturing the Scouting program. "The church has always backed us up. Money has been no problem at Providence Park." Flowers points out that the Scouting program teaches boys to be thrifty and to pay their own way. He notes that in addition to Providence's semiannual fund drives, this sponsoring institution has allowed fundraising by the Scouting program -- giving the unit a dispensation from the church's own rules.
The strategy for success that has worked for Troop 491 includes parental involvement, building a substantial program of outdoor activities and tying together home, school and church. "The first thing Providence encourages is that a Boy Scout work on a "Family Living Skill Award". This task is simple and can be done in two weeks. We want to be meaningful enough for parents to make the sacrifice to support the program. Parents can't be spectators: without parents, boys don't stay," perceives Flowers. A variety of resources are needed for a strong program. "A troop needs good committee support and a corps of merit-badge counselors. Equipment is expensive, and fundraising must be effective. Reliable transportation is essential so that boys are on-time once a week for meetings," lists Flowers.
Every three months the unit has a Parents Night in the hope that parents will get involved. "We are starting a mothers' auxiliary. It's an old concept in Scouting, like the PTA. We are trying a uniform exchange program, where boys leave their uniforms when they finish Scouting," Flowers details.
"We do not view Scouting as a cure-all for the community's problems, but there are a lot of boys out there who need the kind of positive influence in their lives that Scouting can provide. If we can make a difference in the life of just one boy, then the time and effort will be worth it," avows Flowers.
Finally, Flowers believes that Scouting must be a cooperative effort, utilizing the talents of several leaders. "A troop must have a strong program to compete with what's going on," cautions Flowers. He places special emphasis on the value of trained leaders who know the full range of program opportunities available to them. "Scoutmasters who are trained and who participate in district activities are the strongest," concludes Al Flowers.
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