Boy Scout Troop 246 was chartered on March 21, 1997. That year there was a particularly large group of Webelos II, twenty-four to be exact, emerging from one pack. A close knit group, the scouts visited various groups and they became concerned they would not all be able to stay together. At the same time, The Fraternal Organization of Elks, Clifton Park Lodge 2466, expressed an interest in sponsoring a new troop. All twenty-four scouts plus, one from a neighboring pack, joined on that first day of spring and became Troop 246.

Troop 246 is an active, strong group encouraging mutual respect and good citizenship. We have scouts who come from nearly all of the local packs, scouts who are new to Clifton Park, scouts from neighboring towns, scouts who are home-schooled, transfers from other troops and boys who are new to scouting. We have a nicely balanced group of over 50 boys from the ages of 11-18, from all ranks within the BSA program. In 15 years of scouting Troop 246 has produced 29 Eagle Scouts and we presently have 3 scouts actively working on their projects. Two of our Eagle Scouts have been recognized as a VFW New York State Eagle Scout of the Year in 2004 and 2006.

We are privileged to have the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks as our Charter Organization. The Elks are a charitable organization, working tirelessly to promote strong family and community values. Our Charter Representative, Mike Bloss, is a visible member of Troop 246, attending nearly every troop meeting, committee meeting and serves on our Board of Review. He was elected as NYS President of the Elks Organization in 2010. Even with additional commitments around NYS, Mr. Bloss is a frequent attendee at our scouting events. Did you know that the Elks opened the first Veteran’s Hospital in Boston in 1918? Did you know that Flag Day was founded by the Elks? With the patriotic influence of the Elks to encourage them, our troop has proudly participated in Flag Day and Veteran’s Day ceremonies, 4^th of July Parades and the Clifton Park Veteran’s Monument unveiling. Our facilities here are bright and spacious, with lots of outdoor space to practice pitching tents or just to run off steam! We hope you will come to one of our Pancake Breakfasts to see the scouts in action at this wonderful Elks Lodge.

The list of activities and opportunities available to our scouts is extensive and exciting! Hikes and camping trips are planned each month and scouts of all ages and skill level are appropriately and safely challenged. Our destinations have included Sea Base (one of three National BSA facilities), the Adirondack and White Mountains, canoe trips and white water rafting, annual summer camp for a week, District Camporees, the prestigious West Point Camporee, annual winter weekend camping, just to name a few. Several members of our troop, both youths and adults, are members of the Order of the Arrow, the Honor Society of BSA, where members are voted in by the scouts within the troop. We have had members of Troop 246 serve as members of the Twin Rivers Contingent at the 2001 BSA National Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, Virginia. There they joined with 40,000 youth and adult members of BSA from all across the nation.