|
|
|
|
Saint Benedict Parish Scouting Tradition Boy Scout Troop 498 was chartered to Saint Benedict Catholic Church in August 2001. The establishment of the troop revived a proud tradition of Catholic scouting in the parish that dates back to 1944 with the founding of our predecessor unit, Troop 65 (later 765 and 465). The photograph to the right shows Saint Benedict scouts in 1959 forming up with shoes shined for a Corpus Christi procession at Saint Joseph's Villa in Henrico County. Thanks to former scoutmaster Joe Dart and Rupert Beirne for the historical images of scouting in the parish. |
|
|
|
|
| Scouts of Troop 65 collect clothing from Saint Benedict parishioners for European refugees as Father Leo Frierson looks on in this September 25, 1944, Richmond News Leader photograph. Troop 65 was founded in 1944. | Scouting thrived in Saint Benedict Parish during the decades following World War II. The parish troop's designation changed to Troop 765 with the reorganization of the Robert E. Lee Council. In this image, Saint Benedict scouts proudly display their flag as they prepare to board a train at Main Street Station in 1957 for a trip to Canada! |
|
|
|
| Troop 498 is proud to have several former scoutmasters of Troop 765 serve on the troop committee and on boards of review - including Eagle boards. Saint George Medal recipient Robert Gott (in uniform, standing) was parish scoutmaster during the 1960s and 1970s. | The gear was simple by today's standards, but camping was camping! |
|
|
 |
| Troop 765 had high standards for appearance and the scout uniform was mandatory for most travel to and from camping trips. | The webmaster is working on identifying the leaders in this image from the 1950s. |
|
|
|
| In this undated image from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Saint Benedict scouts pose with Bishop John J. Russell after receiving religious emblems at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. | Bishop Russell gives communion to Saint Benedict scouts during a 1973 Catholic scout retreat. |
|
|
 |
| Scouting remained a part of parish life almost until the end of the 20th Century. During the mid-1990s, the parish troop, by then designated Troop 465 and part of the Capitol District of the Robert E. Lee Council, disbanded. | Scouting was revived in the parish in the summer of 2001 with the chartering of Troop 498. The photograph above was taken in September 2001 at Camp Albright in Chesterfield County at the conclusion of Troop 498's first camping trip. |
|
|
|
| February 2002: Troop 498 and Pack 498 at first Scout Sunday Mass at St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church. | Troop 498 received the National Gold Medallion Award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting in February 2003. Troop 498 is the only troop in the Diocese of Richmond to earn this award. Father James F. Kauffmann (left) was presented the NCCS Bronze Pelican Award by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan (right). |
|
|
|
| S.C., Troop 498's first Senior Patrol Leader, received his Eagle Award in December 2003. | E.P., founding Patrol Leader of the Raven Patrol, received his Eagle Award in June 2004. |
|
|
|
| C.E., founding patrol leader of the Eagle Patrol, received his Eagle Award in October 2004. |
M.R. received his Eagle Award in February 2005 |
|
|
|
| D. W. C. received his Eagle Award in November 2005. | J.P. earned his Eagle Award in 2005 |
|
|
|
|
In March 2006, Mayor L. Douglas Wilder and Maymont Park asked
Troop 498 to provide an honor guard as the park laid to rest the
remains of two beloved Virginia black bears. |
Troop 498 Eagle Scouts E.P. and S.C. placed the remains of "Buster" and "Baby" in the caskets as a crowd of hundreds looked on (photo courtesy Richmond Times-Dispatch). Click to read article from the Washington Post. |
|
|
|
| G. T. received his Eagle Award in October 2006. | P.K. earned his Eagle Award in December 2007. Before turning 18, P.K. became one of the few scouts in the council to have earned every merit badge offered by the Boy Scouts of America. |
|
|
|
| B.M. became Troop 498's tenth Eagle Scout in July 2009. | New scouts begin the Eagle trail in June 2009. |
|
|
|
