It's time for the 2026 Klondike Derby! 

This year the Derby will be held at the Centralville Sportsmen’s Club, 308 Wheeler Rd, Dracut, MA

Date: Saturday February 7th, 2026
Carpool to Event: Meet at Chelmsford HS on Saturday February 7th, exact time TBD, the parking lot at Graniteville and Davis (it's next to the baseball field and lighted).
Return: Approximately 6:00 pm on that same Saturday.
Cost: $25 for event registration

Registration includes participation in the event, an embroidered Winter hat for each Scout.

Sign-ups are due by Thursday, January 15th, 2026

Details and sign-up form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdk9IYhzhb-px6fk5y4-ytmoprxNaQP...

BE PREPARED!
Seasonally Appropriate Clothing Required:
* Warm insulated winter boots - no SNEAKERS, leg gaiters suggested.
* Wool or wicking socks worn with an extra pair of socks carried
* Minimum 3 Layers of Clothing for top & bottom.  Suggested clothing includes a thermal wicking layer next to the body, an insulating layer such as fleece & finally an outside wind/waterproof layer. Please no cotton as it has no insulation value.  This means no jeans!
* Wool or fleece hat.
* Mittens or gloves with a spare pair

We will be hosting the 9th Annual Pinewood Derby Workshops on Wednesday January 14th and Thursday January 15th at the Legion Hall. We need Scouts AND their parents to help make the workshops fun and successful!

The workshops are very busy and fun nights for the troop. Scouts, we need your help to guide the Cub Scouts through the process of designing and creating their car. Each Scout will work with one Cub Scout and their parent, so we need at least 25 Scouts each night. Parents, we need your help to monitor the different stations and help Cubs and visiting parents.

Troop 437 volunteers will be picking up Christmas trees in Westford and Chelmsford for a small fee and bringing them for compost and farm animal consumption. All proceeds go towards offsetting the costs of the upcoming Philmont and Seabase High Adventure trips. If you're attending one or both of these trips, please sign up to help with this fundraiser!

Reminder: Scouts going on this weekend’s Lonesome Lake Hut Hike trip must bring their packed backpack and hiking boots to this week’s meeting for a required gear check.

This is a winter backpacking trip! The hut is a short but rigorous 1,000 foot uphill 1.6 mile hike over moderate terrain (with high probability of snow/ice). This is a chance to experience the beauty of the White Mountains without crowds. Weather and time dependent; scouts may have the option to continue from the hut up to Cannon Mountain, a NH 4000-footer. 

Outing: AMC Lonesome Lake Hut Hike, Franconia Notch Trailhead is Lafayette Place Campground, Franconia Notch State Park

Depart Westford: Saturday, January 10, 2026, Abbot School, 7:00 am Sharp. Arrive at the trailhead at ~9:30 am

Depart Franconia: Sunday, January 11, 2026, leave the trailhead at 11:30 am 

Cost: $83.00 (includes Hut stay, Dinner, Cracker barrel, and Breakfast) 
Participants need to pack a lunch for Saturday. 

Sign-ups due January 1st, 2026

Scout Troop 437 will be hosting our 9th Annual Pinewood Derby workshops on Wednesday, January 14, and Thursday, January 15, and we invite Cub Scouts to join us!  

Each year, Troop 437 Scouts and adults help 50 Cub Scouts (25 each night) build a car of their own design. We pair each Cub Scout up with a Scout who will work directly with them, walking them through the process. Scouts enjoy sharing their experience and guidance, and Cub Scouts can learn tips and techniques and take advantage of special woodworking equipment, such as band saws, drill presses and more. Experienced adults operate the larger equipment, while Cub Scouts can learn to operate some of the simpler machines to create their special car.  Note that we will not be painting the cars during the workshop. Cub Scouts will leave the event with a contender, but they may want to paint or decorate the car on their own.
 
Troop 437's Pinewood Derby Workshops are on Wednesday January 14 and Thursday January 15 from 7:00-8:30 PM at the American Legion, 114 Dunstable Rd, 2nd floor, Westford.  The opening ceremony is at 7:00 PM, and closing ceremony at 8:30 PM.

Each workshop is limited to 25 Cub Scouts.  Cub Scouts must bring an accompanying adult, their Derby car kit and some ideas, and be ready to dive in, have fun, and create a great Pinewood Derby car!

RSVPs are required for the workshops.  Please register via the Signup Genius form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0949AAAD28A6FEC61-60997480-troop#/ 

We hope you can join us!