Troop 3 Boy Scouts to host annual Ed Strang Day Saturday on Derby Green

Troop 3 Assistant Scoutmaster Joseph Szewczyk, left, helps Pack 3 Cub Scout Anthony Sullivan in building craft projects donated by Lowe's at last year's Strang Day. / Contributed photo


DERBY - Calling all boys and girls of the Naugatuck Valley!  Archery shooting, walking the rope bridge, building a pinewood Derby car and jumping in the moon bounce are a few of the activities offered from noon-3 p.m. Saturday at the Derby Green.
The event is Boy Scout Troop 3’s annual Ed Strang Day.  

It has been held annually since 1994, when the city of Derby welcomed home actor Brian Dennehy to honor Scouting pioneer Edmund D. Strang, Dennehy’s former Cubmaster.  Strang was a charter member selected to the City of Derby’s Hall of Fame.

Additional activities include a fire safety station with members from the Derby Fire Department, an obstacle course, flint knapping or arrowhead making, games, campfire cooking, scavenger hunt, model car making.

Troop 3 was founded in 1914 and continues to meet at the Derby Second Congregational Church, the founding sponsoring organization. 

Pack 3 Derby, sponsored by and meets at Derby Methodist Church, was founded by Edmund D. Strang in 1927, three years before Cub Scouting became an official program. Venture Crew 33, founded in 1939, is a coed group specializing in high adventure activities and is sponsored by the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club. 
Troop 3 Scouts recently participated as international exchange scouts to Limerick, Ireland and Derby, England and will be doing a night at the Shelton Sports Center on Sept. 28. 
Venture Crew 33 recently returned from a week-long sailing trip in the Caribbean and they are planning an October camping trip to Salem, Mass.

Representatives will be on hand to provide free membership registration for youth of the Valley to join Cub Scout Pack 3 (for Kindergarten through fifth grade boys), Boy Scout Troop 3 (boys ages 11 to 17) and Venture Crew 33 (young adults 14 to 20 years old) to all eligible youths who complete an application with a parent or guardian present. 
Current Scouts from throughout the Valley are also invited to attend in uniform and participate in the free activities.

“For more than 100 years, Scouting has been one of the best youth organizations around for building character, fostering citizenship, and developing physical fitness. Our free, exciting activities on Ed Strang Day will hopefully encourage youths to join us in the adventures of Scouting,” Troop 3 Scoutmaster Randy Ritter said.  

For more information contact Ritter, 203-732-0343 or visit www.troop3derby.org.


This is a press release from Scoutmaster Randy Ritter.

St. Vincent De Paul in Derby seeking food donations

DERBY - The nonprofit St. Vincent De Paul Helping Hands of the Valley “is in desperate need of food to be donated,” thrift shop manager Cindy Barbian said this week.

The organization runs a thrift shop with proceeds supporting a food pantry at 237 Roosevelt Drive.

Barbian said the food pantry especially needs tuna, pasta sauce, soup, canned fruits and vegetables, and instant potatoes, but all donations are welcomed.

“Our shelves are empty and the food drives don’t really start until the end of October for Thanksgiving,” she said. 

Barbian expressed gratitude for all the food donations received from an initiative city officials launched earlier this year. 

“Derby City Hall (staff) is awesome, they (donate) one item a month, and each month the amount they donate grows.”

This month's requested item is canned soup, and donations can be dropped off at Derby City Hall, 1 Elizabeth St.

September is National Hunger Action Month. 

For information about SVDP, call 203-734-7577.