Volunteers needed to spread topsoil for gardens at Humphreys House in Ansonia

Topsoil is piled behind the Gen. David Humphreys House in Ansonia./ Contributed photo 

ANSONIA - Volunteers needed! The Derby Historical Society needs your help in filling our beautiful new garden beds with topsoil (photo above). 

Do you have a couple of youngsters, a wheelbarrow, and some shovels?

We’re located at 37 Elm St.

Garden beds are courtesy of Derby High School's Tech Ed. and soil is courtesy of Jones Family Farms in Shelton. Soil moving courtesy of some kind-hearted volunteers (you)!

Contact dan@derbyhistorical.org if you can help.

Derby Elks Lodge 571 to hold Flag Day ceremony Sunday on Green

Sharing message from Derby Town/City Clerk Marc Garofalo:

DERBY - The Derby Elks Lodge 571 will conduct a Flag Day Ceremony on Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 11 a.m. on the Derby Green.

Come honor our Flag with this patriotic ceremony that is a long-time tradition of the Derby Elks and the City of Derby.

All are welcome to attend.

UPDATE: Teen found safe - Ansonia Police seek public's help in locating runaway, 13

UPDATE from the Ansonia Police Department: "Tyrell Nichols has been found and is safe. Thank you for sharing the post and to all who provided information to help locate him."

Tyrell Nichols

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a runaway juvenile.

Tyrell Nichols is 13 years old, 5 foot 2 inches tall, 180 pounds, and wearing a white crew neck shirt with three buttons, black cargo shorts, and all black Nike Air sneakers. 

Tyrell was last seen at about 2:45 p.m. at the corner of Howard Avenue and Crescent Street. Anyone who has seen Tyrell or knows his whereabouts is asked to contact the Ansonia Police Department at 203-735-1885. 

Tips can also be left anonymously through Tip411 at the link below.

https://www.tip411.com/tips/new?alert_group_id=21553

This is a press release from Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch. 

 

Takeout breakfast offered Saturday at Assumption Church in Ansonia

 

'Turnback Tuesday' features 19th century photo of Derby Narrows

Turnback Tuesday looks at Derby Narrows along the Housatonic/Naugatuck River from a different angle. 

In this stereoscopic view you can see where ships would actually dock (Commerce Street Docks). There was much loading and unloading of goods at this spot. The large chimney/smokestack in the distance is Derby Lumber Co. 

This image was taken by J. W. Storrs, a local photographer, sometime before 1884.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week!  

Valley Community Foundation awards $22K in grants to local groups

The Valley Community Foundation announced it has awarded a total of $22,000 in its annual Community Grants Program to 11 community groups serving the Valley. 

These grants will support youth programs, athletics, and more in the region.

Sharon Closius, VCF President & CEO, said, “As business-as-usual operations begin to resume throughout the state, there are many volunteer groups and nonprofits with limited staff that continue to do incredible work in our community. 

Although the needs are ever-growing and continuously changing, we are proud to support these meaningful endeavors with $22,000 in total grant funding to support our Valley’s five towns.”

Steven Wolfe, Director of the All-America Valley Basketball Club, said, “This grant enables us to provide free basketball uniforms, shirts, reusable masks and other supplies to kids in the communities that we serve while we continue to work towards a more inclusive, affordable, equitable model for club play. VCF’s support allows us to comply with health and tournament protocols as well as regulations governing youth basketball sports competition. Without this funding, we would have been unable to provide our players with these items, which would further burden already distressed households with additional expenses.”

Applications for the Valley Community Grants Program are considered through a request for proposal process. 

These grants are responsive to community groups that are volunteer or nonprofit in nature, serve Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and/or Shelton, and have less than two full-time or four part-time staff. 

Community Grants range from $250 to $2,500, and can be for new or recurring programs to support civic and community engagement efforts. More details about the application process are available on www.valleyfoundation.org.

2021 Community Grant Recipients:

All-America Valley Basketball Club – To support the club's participation in a 10-week competitive basketball tournament. $2,500

Annual Thanksgiving Basket Committee – To support families in need with a basket of food for Thanksgiving. $2,000

Troop 3 – Derby Boy Scouts of America – To support an Eagle Scout project to build a vegetable garden at St. Mary-St. Michael School. $1,950

Girl Scout Troop 60030 – To support improving the community gardens in Seymour. $1,750
Girl Scout Troop 60544 – To support a Gold Award Project to refurbish a War Memorial in Seymour. $2,000

Massaro Community Farm – To support a series of garden workshops. $2,000
Seymour Historical Society – To support Seymour Historical Society’s virtual programming. $1,200 Southford Falls Quilters, LLC – To support the 2021-2022 Southford Falls Quilters programs. $2,100

St. Thomas Church – To support the St. Thomas bereavement and caregivers programs and the Parish Nurse ministries. $1,500

Valley Parish Nurse Program – To support the Valley Parish Nurse outreach and education programs at multiple churches. $2,500

Youth Conservation Corps – To support the Walk Through History Program at the Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary in Oxford. $2,500

About the Valley Community Foundation

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation (VCF) distributes $1.6 million in grants each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton and receives a majority of its discretionary funding as a result of The Gates Fund and other preference funds at TCF that benefit the Valley. 

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, please visit the website at www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President, Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.

This is a press release from the Valley Community Foundation.  

Derby Historical Society receives 3-year, $75K grant from foundations

Derby Historical Society is thankful to the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Valley Community Foundation for awarding our organization with a multi-year grant in support of our mission and efforts to preserve our legacies. 

The grant total is $75,000 and will be awarded in three separate consecutive-year distributions of $25,000.

Established in 2004, the Valley Community Foundation distributes hundreds of thousands of grant dollars each year to support the local nonprofit sector and the people it serves. 

In addition to grantmaking, VCF works in strong partnership with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, to promote philanthropy in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton. 

To learn how your gifts of cash, life insurance, appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, and other assets can help to support the quality of life in the Valley, please visit www.valleyfoundation.org or contact VCF President Sharon Closius, at sclosius@valleyfoundation.org or 203-751-9162.



This is a press release from the Derby Historical Society.