A lifelong Scout and now Scoutmaster of Troop 432 at Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Alan Meekins recently received Scouting America’s Silver Beaver Award, honoring his decades of dedication to the Scout Oath and Law.

The award is the highest honor a local Scouting America council can give an adult volunteer and recognizes Meekins’ distinguished service to youth at the council level. It reflects the core values of Scouting and his commitment to serving others.

Black Scout troops can be traced back to at least 1915. Good Shepherd can trace its origins back to 1965, as a part of the Fredrick Douglass District.

In 1971, the Fredrick Douglass Troops merged with the other troops in Richmond and became the Capitol District, according to Meekins.

When Troop 432 at Good Shepherd was inactive for several years, Meekins saw an opportunity to reactivate the charter. He wanted to offer youth the same opportunities he had to learn and understand Scout values.

“I was looking for something at church where I could make an impact,” Meekins said. “A conversation with a friend from my scouting days sparked an interest in bringing Scouting back to Good Shepherd.”

Meekins and his friend rechartered the troop with nine boys in 2012. Six of the boys went on to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting America’s highest achievement. The national average for earning the Eagle Scout is less than 10% of all scouts, making the reactivation of Troop 432 a success.

Leading Troop 432 has provided challenges for Meekins.

During the pandemic, troop involvement hit an all-time low due to social distancing.

“We tried to meet on Zoom, but it wasn’t working,” Meekins said. “The kids were already meeting on Zoom for school, and scouting is hard to do on Zoom.”

Scout troops must have at least five registered Scouts to keep their charter. To meet this requirement, Meekins and other troop leaders from five area churches combined their troops into what they call the ‘Gumbo Troop’. They held meetings in parks and conducted activities together, helping keep Scouting alive in the community.

“We were all struggling to meet the minimum of five kids to keep our charters and our programs functioning,” Meekins said. “We call it the Gumbo Troop because all the troops come together as one. If we didn’t do that, we wouldn’t have been able to meet the minimum of five kids.”

Meekins, a retired engineer, serves as a trustee and treasurer at Good Shepherd Baptist Church and is active in the Men’s Ministry and Media Ministry. He was a longtime board member of the Richmond Area Program for Minorities in Engineering, now the Richmond Minority Engineering Partnership, where he helped develop a summer program to expose middle and high school students to careers in STEM fields.

When he’s not enjoying time with family and friends or pursuing his volunteer obligations, he can be found on the pickleball courts.

What is your profession? I’m retired! I worked for Dominion Energy for over 38 years. The last position I held there was director of market operations. I returned to work after a brief break when I worked for five years at Primoris as a project manager.

Where do you live? Varina.

Where did you go to school? I earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and an MBA at VCU.

What is Scouting America? It’s what used to be called the Boy Scouts of America. We are one of the largest youth organizations in the U.S., with over a million boys and girls participating in programs each year. The combination of traditional outdoor activities with modern skills, such as STEM, digital technology and environmental stewardship, offers youth the chance to develop character, leadership and a sense of responsibility.

How did you react to learning that you were selected as a Silver Beaver Awardee? I was not expecting it, so I felt a mix of shock and disbelief that my contributions warranted such recognition. It is truly  an honor to have been nominated and selected to receive this award. I know several past recipients of the award, most have been associated with Scouting for far longer.

Why do you think you were nominated? I think there are two reasons. First, I was involved in helping to reactivate Troop 432, which had been dormant for several years. The second reason is related to effort.

I have been involved with keeping Scouting viable in several historically Black churches in the city of Richmond.

What is the Heart of Virginia Council? It’s a regional council of Scouting America that covers Central Virginia. The Heart of Virginia Council is subdivided into five districts and my troop is a part of the James River District.

What is your background with the Boy Scouts of America? I joined Scouting as a youth and was active for over two years. I was an active parent as my son progressed through Cub Scouts, earning his Arrow of Light, and a little less active when he became a Scout. He stayed in until high school, when he pursued other interests. I reunited with Scouting when we began the process to reactivate the troop.

How does scouting impact young people? Scouts have fun with a group of kids while learning new skills, exploring topics through merit badges and developing character traits and habits that prepare them for life.

What does it take to be an outstanding Scoutmaster? Commitment to the task.

How many hours do you devote to being a Scoutmaster? It varies from about two to five hours a week with weekly meetings, but I spend more time on trips or activities.

What’s the No. 1 lesson I teach my troop? Be prepared, which is the Scout motto. I want them to understand that it applies to all aspects of their lives, both now and in the future.

How many scouts do you lead currently, and what are their ages? There are five active Scouts in Troop 432, and seven active Scouts in the other Gumbo units.

We currently have active Scouts ranging in age from 11 to 17.

Who comprises the Gumbo Troop? The collective of five church Troops in Richmond includes Troop 432, Troop 478, Troop 480 from Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church, Troop 486 from Fifth Baptist Church and Troop 491 from Providence Park Baptist Church.

What are some things your troop has accomplished?

The Scouts have completed merit badges that contribute to their growth, skill development and readiness for the future. They’ve attained rank, meaning their responsibilities have grown, which improves leadership and other skills, and they’ve completed service projects. Our Gumbo Troop has seen four Scouts reach the rank of Eagle, and we have five Scouts who have earned enough Merit badges to become Life Scouts soon.

How can young people join your troop? They can reach out to our church office or any of the Gumbo Troops to let us know they’re interested in Scouting. We’re also online at beascout.scouting.org. Our meetings are held on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church at 1408 West Leigh St. Anyone who’s interested can also email us at gumboTroopsRVA@gmail.com.

Are there adult volunteer opportunities with my troop? Adults can participate in leadership by becoming assistant scoutmasters, sharing their skills as Merit Badge counselors, participating as committee members or simply volunteering to accompany the group on outings. Anyone interested in volunteering can email us at gumboTroopsRVA@gmail.com or contact one of our churches.

How do you start your day? With a moment of gratitude, some light stretching and Wordle.

What are three words that describe you? Logical, kind and dependable.

What would you do if you had 10 extra minutes in the day? Play another game of pickleball.

What are the top three songs on your music playlist? “Before I Let Go,” by Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly; “September,” by Earth, Wind & Fire: “As,” by Stevie Wonder.

What is something you love to do that most people would never imagine? I have been learning to fly a drone and studying for the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, issued by the FAA.

What is a quote that inspires you? “We water the seeds of trees, whose shade we will not enjoy.”

What’s your next goal? I want to spend time travelling with my wife, Marcia.