Martin to be honored as scout ‘Alumni of the Year’
Written by Taylor Maybeck, Staff Intern
Thursday, 02 February 2012 01:00
For more than 50 years Martin has been associated with Cub Scout Pack 3, Boy Scout Troop 3 and Venture Crew 33.
"I have known Bill Martin for 40 years, having been a member of Boy Scout Troop 3 as a youth," Randy Ritter, Housatonic Council Executive Board Member, and president of Camp Association said.
Beginning in the late 1950's, Martin was part of a faithful group who traveled 50 miles each weekend to Goshen in order to construct the Housatonic Scout Reservation. Records from Oscar Johnson say: " Bill Martin assisted in digging the Mohawk and Chesapeak campsite latrines by hand."
This scout reservation now known as Edmund D. Strong Scout Reservation, has recently celebrated 50 years of providing a program for scouts of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.
Martin was instrumental in a number of projects at the camp throughout the years.
"Bill Martin, along with Mr. Rudy Gajdosik, built a foundation and roof structure to support and combine two donated bank office trailers into a multipurpose training facility at the scout camp," Ritter said. "This large project was built predominantly with volunteer labor directed by Bill Martin and Rudy Gajdosik, and saved the council thousands of dollars in construction costs.
"It is only through the dedication and support of volunteers like Bill Martin that the Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation continues to be one of the top maintained camping facilities around."
Aside from this event, Martin helped to construct the Pinewood Derby Tracks along with chorus bleachers for the scouts annual "Scout Gang Show." Martin has served as a troop chaperone for several trips including those to Canada, the western United States and Europe.
Martin has been honored by the Boy Scouts of America with the 50 years scouting pin, the presidents award, the District Award of Merit, and the Silver Beaver Award.
All are welcome to attend to ceremony. The price is $25 for members and $30 for those who are not members. Officials said Martin has spent a drastic amount of time dedicating his life to boy scout and the Edmund D. Strong Scout Reservation, and this award was greatly earned. For reservations to attend this event, call Pat Gajdosik at 203-929-3601 or email rgajdosik@snet.net. Proceeds will go to benefit Housatonic Councils Edmund D. Strong Scout Reservation.
Hersam Acorn Newspapers
Additional content