Courtesy of Priscilla Colon
Key Points
- Scouts BSA Troop 601 will dissolve its charter with First Presbyterian Church of Apopka on December 31 due to small membership size.
- The troop held its final outdoor flag ceremony featuring a flag and pole donated by Woodmen Life Chapter 825 and a pedestal built by scout Jayden Coller.
- Committee chair Priscilla Colon highlighted the positive impact scouting had on children, including her autistic son Kristian, through mentorship and life skills.
Scouts BSA Troop 601 will dissolve on Dec. 31, according to a post on the BSA Troop 601 Facebook page.
“With heavy hearts we must share that Troop 601 will be dissolving its charter with First Presbyterian Church of Apopka,” the June 9 post said. “This is not a decision that comes lightly, and Troop 601 is immensely grateful for their support.”
The troop held its last outdoor flag ceremony on Monday, inviting all supporters and community members to attend. Woodmen Life Chapter 825 donated the flag and flagpole, while scout Jayden Coller built the pedestal for his Eagle Scout project.
Among the attendees were the wife and children of Arlen Mizell, who supported the scouting troop until his death in 2023.
“He was always the one that went to the people for the Apopka Christmas parade, and we would get a spot there at Kit Land Nelson Park — he would pay for a spot there, and also donate the funds to get the food and the drinks that we would offer to sell there,” said committee chair Priscilla Colon in an interview with The Apopka Chief. “He did it every single year that I remember… When I walked into that scout meeting and they told me he had passed away, my heart just sank to the ground.”
Although the troop is dissolving due to its small size, Colon said it has been small for as long as she can remember, reaching only 12-15 members at its peak since she became committee chair.
“We’re small, but we’re mighty,” she said. “It’s a lot easier to go places. We’ve been to Georgia, we’ve been to South Carolina, we’ve been to North Carolina, we’ve been to the Keys… I mean, we’ve been so many amazing places that some troops might have not been able to go because they’re so big.”
Colon believes scouting was crucial for her son Kristian’s development as he grew up with autism, especially because he gained a mentor along the way. She also believes her son is just one of many children whose lives have been changed for the better through scouting.
“You just see the difference in the kids over all of these years that have come in with histories, back histories, whatever the case may be in their life, and they’ve just come back, and I’ve seen their lives turn around,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s an amazing thing. We touched hearts. We did it. We did what the program wanted us to. Boy Scouts was programmed to that — it was put to helping kids achieve in life and putting them on the right path and not on the streets.”