The Mission
For over 100 years, the Housatonic Council has offered a valuable program to the youth of the lower Naugatuck Valley. Scouting provides skill development opportunities that youth may not experience at home, school or through other extra-curricular programs. These skills include leadership, team building, and conflict resolution. Youth who spend five or more years in the Scouting program graduate from high school and college at a much higher than average rate. These alumni often tend to go on to take up leadership roles in business, the military and the community.
The Housatonic Council owns and maintains the Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation in Goshen, CT where many generations of scouts from the Valley have had fun, fellowship and the opportunity to learn outdoor skills such as scoutcraft, swimming, boating and field sports. The Housatonic Council continues to provide programs to our youth and over 8% will achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. There have been over 2,500 Eagle Scouts in our history.
The Program has always been dynamic and is just as relevant today as ever. The Camp runs a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program and as of 2018, the Housatonic Council Scouting Program in the Valley is open to girls as well as boys.
The Housatonic Council has the distinction of being one of the smallest and oldest councils in the country. While other councils have gone through a number of mergers and camp property consolidations, the Housatonic Council maintains Strang Scout Reservation for the benefit of the Valley’s youth.
Make a Difference. Keep the Future of Scouting Strong
We have always benefited from the generosity of the Council alumni and residents of the Valley. Our 187 acre Camp Strang in Goshen is the result of a generous donation of cash, material and labor by residents of the Valley. When the Housatonic Council opted to purchase the property in Goshen in the mid 1950’s, the National office cautioned against it. They felt that the lower Naugatuck Valley was not a large enough area to support the cost of maintaining and operating a summer camp. Over sixty years later, Camp Strang is one of the older continuously operating Scout camps in the country and was recently described by a member of the Regional Boy Scout staff as one of the last jewels in the northeast.
A donation or bequest to the Housatonic Council Endowment Fund is an investment in our current and future youth. 100% of your donation to the endowment is invested and the Housatonic Council uses the dividends from these funds for Scouting.
A donation to the Endowment Funds can be made to one of the following funds:
-
1920 Society - Funds support youth in the Boy Scouts of America programs of the Lower Naugatuck Valley
-
Eagle Scholarship - Funds support a $1,000 scholarship for an Eagle Scout towards their college career
-
Campership - Funds provide financial support for families in order for youth to attend summer camp
-
Camp Maintenance - Funds are used for the upkeep of the Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation
-
General Operations - Funds are used to provide financial support to the Housatonic Council
Our endowment funds are invested locally with the Valley Community Foundation. If you are interested in making a year end gift of cash or a bequest, please contact the Scout Executive at 203-734-3329 x 304 for assistance.