Troop 3 - Derby BSA Alumni and Friends Foundation Fund

Founded in 1914, Boy Scout Troop 3 in Derby is one of the oldest Boy Scout Troops in the country. It has enjoyed a long and storied tradition of excellence and success; nearly 300 of its scouts have achieved the Eagle Scout Rank, the highest rank in Scouting! A group of Troop 3 alumni and friends established the Troop 3 - Derby BSA Alumni and Friends Foundation (Troop 3 Alumni Foundation) to give scouting friends and Troop 3 alums the opportunity to contribute to scouting activities, including camperships to attend summer camp at the Edmund D. Strang Scouting Reservation, aid for its annual International Scout Exchange Program, and general operating support for Troop 3 expenses.

The Board of Directors of the Troop 3 Alumni Foundation began a search for a way to properly manage the Foundation's assets. They turned to VCF to create the Troop 3-Derby BSAAlumni and Friends Fund which will provide a two-fold benefit: 1) the assets will be invested in a diversified portfolio, and 2) the Troop 3 Alumni Foundation will gain further exposure by being part of VCF's Fund Family.

"Establishing the Fund at VCF was an easy choice for us," said Troop 3 Alumni Foundation Treasurer Ray Oppel. "VCF is the Lower Naugatuck Valley's premier nonprofit foundation with a wonderful history of prudent financial management. It's also perfect timing -- it will help us kick off our 100th anniversary celebration in 2014, and help to spread additional awareness about Troop 3 throughout the Valley."

Although the troop was founded in Derby, its membership has been consistently comprised of youths from all of the Valley towns. "The Valley community has always been supportive of our mission of building character, fostering citizenship, and developing physical fitness," said Troop 3 Alumni Foundation President Randy Ritter.

"Working with VCF allows us to focus on our mission of providing direct service to our scouting community. The Scout Motto is "Be Prepared" and as we begin our second century of Scouting in the Valley we hope that Troop 3 Alum and friends will help us to be prepared for the future financially so that our scouts will always have the opportunity to attend camp and participate in a wonderful exchange program with their peers from England and Ireland."