CLAY COUNTY – Richard Knoff has dedicated both his career and his free time to serving the community and helping others. From being a member of the Boy Scouts, having a career as a firefighter, serving in the navy, being a foster parent and adopting 13 of those foster children, Knoff tries to serve his community as much as he can.

Knoff started helping others when he became a Boy Scout.

“I was a Cub Scout when I was six years old and later progressed through the scouting programs. I became a Boy Scout and then an Eagle Scout in 1973,” Knoff said. “I just enjoyed the outdoors. I enjoyed the activities we did as a boy. As an adult when I was in the Navy, I was stationed in Memphis at the Naval Air Technical Training Center as an instructor. While there I was asked to take over as Scout Troop that was sponsored by the Naval hospital. So, I did that for two years as a Scoutmaster before transferring to Jacksonville.”

Knoff guessed he’s been part of the Boy Scouts of America for nearly 50 years.

He continues to be a Scoutmaster today and helps boys – and now girls – to be Boy Scouts. Along with being a Scoutmaster, Knoff has also helped children by being a foster parent. Knoff and his wife Michelle, who is a teacher, would specifically request older children to be placed with them. Whenever Knoff received a foster placement with a boy he would always try to get them involved with the Boy Scouts.

“Whenever we got a boy, I’d always get them involved with a Scout program here in Green Cove Springs...We cared for many children here in Clay County over our lifetime. As a result of that, we’ve adopted 13 children out of the state foster care system,” Knoff said. “All my boys that we cared for were in Scouts.”

Knoff strongly believes the Boy Scouts helps to shape young boys and girls into good people. Knoff also feels the Boy Scouts is an excellent program for single mothers of boys who need father figures in their lives. Another reason why Knoff believes parents should consider Boy Scouts is because the Scouts program helps children to not become too attached to their smartphones and various electronic devices. Rather than watching TV or scrolling on a smartphone, the Boy Scouts are outdoors doing fun activities that are both fun and work to build teamwork and skills.

When Knoff is not working with the Boy Scouts, he still continues to help children by refurbishing old bicycles that can be gifted to Clay County children.

“The program started with the Green Cove Springs Fire Department about 35 years ago. I’ve led that program ever since. We’ve started collecting bikes from law enforcement, and then fixing them up and then giving them away at the [J.P. Hall Children’s Charities] Christmas party.” Knoff said.

Knoff has been refurbishing bicycles for more than 30 years for the annual J.P. Hall event. His group has turned around as many as 600 bikes in a year, but he admits the supply doesn’t always fit the demand.

“During the party, we try and meet the needs of every family, but sometimes, we’re limited,” Knoff said. “When you think of the number of bikes and the number of children, we should be able to service each one because a child doesn’t need a new bike every single year. One year, this kid gets a bike and the next year this kid gets a bike and so on. One day in our future, every kid will have a bike, we hope.”

Bikes were given away at the Presbyterian Church last December instead of the fairgrounds after charities organizers decided to give away toys in a drive-thru as a precaution to COVID-19.

In addition to the Clay County Fire Departments, Knoff also receives help refurbishing the bikes from the Boy Scouts. They learn how to repair the bikes, along with the Presbyterian Men’s Club from First Presbyterian Church in Green Cove Springs and Rotary Club in Green Cove Springs as well.

Along with receiving help to refurbish the bikes Knoff also receives help from the Green Cove Police Department, who help Knoff to transport the bikes to the Clay County Fairgrounds where they’re distributed.

Knoff’s humbleness and dedication to helping others doesn’t go unnoticed in Clay County.