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A Brief History of Knox Trail Council

       Knox Trail Council is the result of the consolidation of the Norumbega and Algonquin Councils in 1996. Since then our council has grown to serve thousands of youth in the Greater MetroWest area of Eastern Massachusetts, and is managing two excellent camping properties: The E. Paul Robsham Scout Reservation - in Bolton (Camp Resolute), and the Nobscot Scout Reservation - in Framingham/Sudbury. Combined, they constitute over 800 acres of beautiful forested land and open space, making each one into a true 'Urban Oasis'

Who runs the Knox Trail Council?

       Our Council is run by a volunteer Executive Board made up of prominent community, corporate, educational and religious leaders from the MetroWest area. It is also made up every Chartered Organization Representative in the Council territory. Each ‘CR’ is invited to attend the Board meetings and is eligible to cast their vote.
       The Board is charged with maintaining the standards of ethics and conduct of the Boy Scouts of America in all its dealings with volunteers and in business transactions. Members convene at least 6 times a year to review and decide on the programs of our Council (Camping facilities, District events, major projects, etc.), and to make certain that the Council is financially secure.
       Each year the Board assembles and approves a Council budget, which will include funding for a full-time executive staff, maintenance of the camping properties, the training and recognition of volunteers, the expansion of the Scouting program into disadvantaged communities, and the supplying of materials and resources to the Districts in order to carry out a program for youth.

What is the territory of the Knox Trail Council

LIBERTY DISTRICT: Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland

TRI RIVER DISTRICT: Hudson, Marlborough, Southborough, Westborough, Hopkinton, Milford, Hopedale, Mendon, Northborough

VIKING DISTRICT: Weston, Newton, Wellesley

EXPLORING / VENTURING: Entire Council

What’s a "District"?

       Our Council has divided up the MetroWest area into three Districts: Liberty, Tri-River, and Viking - geographical areas within the Council territory which have their own volunteer administrative body, called a District Committee, which meets monthly. Check with your leader, or the enclosed map, to see which District you’re in. We also have the council-wide Exploring & Venturing division that is the COED program of the Boy Scouts of America. The main function of the District is to serve as a ‘delivery system’ of the Scouting program to your Unit.

A group of Scouters is carefully selected to serve on the District Committee and each one is asked to serve in one of the Four Functions of the District:

1. Membership (organizing new Units, conducting recruiting events, etc.),

2. Program (conducting District-level activities, training sessions, advancement promotion, camping programs, etc.).

3. Finance (conducting the annual Friends of Scouting Campaign through the Units, staging Bowlathons, promoting the Pop- corn Sales drive, conducting the annual ‘Good Scout Award’ dinners, etc.).

4. Commissioner Service (direct help to Units when needed, re-chartering of Units each 12 months, maintaining the standards of the BSA, helping leaders with achieving the Quality Unit Award, etc.).

The District Executive, a full-time professional hired by the Executive Board, administers the daily affairs of the District, and works in partnership with the District Staff in carrying out the Scouting program.

What’s a "Chartered Partner"?

       It is the organization which sponsors your Pack, Troop or Crew. The Chartered Partner’s responsibility is to provide a meeting place, assign a person to serve as the Chartered Organization Representative (who is a voting member of the Executive Board), help secure the leadership for the Unit, make certain that all the policies of the BSA are being adhered to, and encourage all leaders to take the necessary training courses. A Chartered Partner can sponsor more than one Unit.

What’s a "Unit"?

       It is a Pack (for boys in grades 1 to 5), a Troop (for boys in grades 6 to 12), a Venture Crew (for students in grades 9 to 12), and a Varsity Team (for older Boy Scouts).
       Your Unit has a volunteer committee which handles the finances, outings, camping, advancements records, etc. It also has a group of LEADERS who work directly with youth. Collectively these volunteers decide what programs your Unit will conduct, when to raise funds for the Council and for the Unit, and they conduct periodic membership drives for new members and leaders.