Calling all scouts of the Naugatuck Valley for a day filled with archery, walking a rope bridge, building a pinewood Derby car and jumping in the moonbounce just to name a few of the free activities being offered at the Derby Green on Saturday, Sept. 24.
From 12p.m. to 3p.m. Housatonic Council Boy Scout Troop 3’s will celebrate Ed Strang Day through a number of free activities for scouts of the Valley. The event 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 including 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 the Derby 2nd 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 have scheduled 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 Naugatuck 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” stated Troop 3 Scoutmaster Randy Ritter. For more information contact Ritter at 203 732 0343 or visit www.troop3derby.org .