Since his earliest days in Richmond, Clint Buxton has yearned to conquer the Long Trail. When COVID-19 dashed his final season as summer camp director at Mt. Norris Scout Reservation in Eden, the suddenly-unemployed 61-year-old decided to lace up his hiking boots to raise awareness and much-needed support for Vermont's outdoor Scouting programs.
"Summer camp is always the highlight of the year for our kids and COVID robbed that from them," said Buxton, who has led programs at Mt. Norris since 2017. "I'm doing this to prove that even at my age, Scouting can help take you where you want to go in life."
The forced closure of the Green Mountain Council's summer camp operations at Mt. Norris and Camp Sunrise in Benson impacted the plans of nearly 3,000 local families this summer. Without summer programs, the organization is bracing for a $160,000 camp operating deficit to maintain nearly 1,200 acres of wilderness.
"Our camping properties are critical to our mission of preparing boys and girls for life," said Mark Saxon, Scout Executive and CEO of the Green Mountain Council. "We hold a sacred duty to steward these properties for the benefit of all Vermonters for generations to come. Clint could have folded his tent, but when he realized the family farm would be threatened without a summer harvest, he set his mind to inspiring others to act."
Buxton - who will adopt the trial name Hawkeye - will begin the 272-mile northward through hike on Saturday August 29, near Williamstown, Mass. He and his family have pledged to donate $2 per mile to help sustain Green Mountain Council's outdoor programs. Buxton is encouraging others to pitch in financially, through service, or by hitting a trail and posting an adventure with a 'Flat Buxton' cutout to social media using #BuxtonHikesLT to help raise awareness for the effort dubbed Buxton's Trail Champions.
"In addition to pursuing a lifelong personal goal, I wanted this hike to serve as an impactful opportunity for our Green Mountain Council, and most importantly our Scouts," said Buxton, who plans on arriving at Journey's End near the Canadian Border by September 25.
Follow Buxton's journey and become a Buxton Trail Champion at www.scoutingvermont.org/BuxtonHikesLT
"Summer camp is always the highlight of the year for our kids and COVID robbed that from them," said Buxton, who has led programs at Mt. Norris since 2017. "I'm doing this to prove that even at my age, Scouting can help take you where you want to go in life."
The forced closure of the Green Mountain Council's summer camp operations at Mt. Norris and Camp Sunrise in Benson impacted the plans of nearly 3,000 local families this summer. Without summer programs, the organization is bracing for a $160,000 camp operating deficit to maintain nearly 1,200 acres of wilderness.
"Our camping properties are critical to our mission of preparing boys and girls for life," said Mark Saxon, Scout Executive and CEO of the Green Mountain Council. "We hold a sacred duty to steward these properties for the benefit of all Vermonters for generations to come. Clint could have folded his tent, but when he realized the family farm would be threatened without a summer harvest, he set his mind to inspiring others to act."
Buxton - who will adopt the trial name Hawkeye - will begin the 272-mile northward through hike on Saturday August 29, near Williamstown, Mass. He and his family have pledged to donate $2 per mile to help sustain Green Mountain Council's outdoor programs. Buxton is encouraging others to pitch in financially, through service, or by hitting a trail and posting an adventure with a 'Flat Buxton' cutout to social media using #BuxtonHikesLT to help raise awareness for the effort dubbed Buxton's Trail Champions.
"In addition to pursuing a lifelong personal goal, I wanted this hike to serve as an impactful opportunity for our Green Mountain Council, and most importantly our Scouts," said Buxton, who plans on arriving at Journey's End near the Canadian Border by September 25.
Follow Buxton's journey and become a Buxton Trail Champion at www.scoutingvermont.org/BuxtonHikesLT
Mount Norris Camp Director Clint 'Hawkeye' Buxton prepares for his Long Trail through hike.
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