Our Council
The Pine Tree Council carries out the mission of the Boy Scouts of America in central, western and southern Maine through a locally operated non-profit corporation chartered by the national council and supported by local volunteers and contributors. Our council is divided into four districts where Scouting is delivered to the local communities.
2023 Council Officers
| Jack O'Toole | Council President |
| Michael L’Abbe | Council Commissioner |
| Matthew Klutzaritz | Scout Executive |
| William Thornton | Treasurer |
| Jeffrey Doss | Immediate Past President |
| Paul Conley | Vice President - Safe Scouting |
| Janet Hansen | Vice President - Properties |
| Horace Horton | Vice President - Development |
| Marc Libby, Sr. | Vice President - Friends of Scouting/NESA |
| Jim Thomas | Vice President - Program |
| Scott Valcourt | Vice President - Camping |
Districts
Abnaki – serving Androscoggin, Oxford and Sagadahoc Counties.
Casco Bay – serving Cumberland and southern Oxford Counties.
Kennebec Valley – serving Franklin, Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox and Somerset Counties.
York – serving York County.
Council Executive Board Members
| Robert Barry | Jason Beam | William Coffin | Paul Conley |
| Frederick Denico | William Diffenderfer | Jeffrey Doss | Ronald Dovich |
| Thomas Dunham | Drew Fitzgibbon | Scott Gabriel | Roger Griswold |
| Janet Hansen | Horace Horton | Darryk Kelly (OA Youth) | William Kiley |
| Michael L'Abbe | Marc Libby, Sr. | Chuck Mahaleris | Jeffrey Messer |
| Mike Mirisola | Karen Norton | Jack O'Toole | Lynne Picoraro |
| Joseph Poulin | William Sipperly | Tammy Smith | Clinton Staples |
| Walt Stinson | Kelly Sturmer | Lad Taylor | Jim Thomas |
| William Thornton | Scott Valcourt | Peter Ventre | Dave Wade |
| Brandon Wilkins | Richard Yerxa |
History of the Pine Tree Council
Our council was organized in 1919, and at that time was known as the Portland Council, as it only included the city of Portland. Mr. Whitman Smith was the first Scout Executive, and during his term from 1919 until 1926, the balance of Cumberland County was added and the name changed to Cumberland County Council. The council was incorporated in 1927, and the land purchase of Camp William Hinds was made to honor the late son of Charles Hinds, who was on the Board of Trustees. Mr. Herbert “Skipper” Patrick, for whom Patrick campsite is named, became the second Scout Executive in 1927 and kept this position until 1943. During this time, there were three other councils in Maine: the Katahdin Area Council in Bangor, the Pine Tree Council in Rockland and the York County Council in the Biddeford-Saco area. This arrangement of councils left a large area of Maine with no organized Scouting. Smaller councils grew in Lewiston-Auburn and Oxford and Franklin counties.
In 1933, the councils in southern and central Maine merged to formally become the Pine Tree Council, and in 1936 the York County Council gave up their charter and joined Pine Tree Council. Early growth records show a youth membership of over 3,200 Scouts in 1933, over 6,000 in 1948 and doubling to over 12,000 members in 1958.
Our council has seen the addition and deletion of many districts. Some of the early districts included York District, which was named for the York County Council, the Mount Zircon District in the Rumford area, the Abnaki District, the Sebago District, the Quabacook District and the Snowshoe District.
The Pine Tree Council currently has four districts: Abnaki, Casco Bay, Kennebec Valley, and York, and we serve youth in 10 counties in Maine. Our program serves youth in traditional programs such as Cub Scouting and Scouts BSA, but also offers Scoutreach, Sea Scouting, and Venturing.