Valley Community Foundation

08/31/2026

What does it mean to plan for the future of a community?

Valley Community Foundation (VCF) is proud of our current initiative 25 for the Next 25 that is focused on strengthening the foundation and the Valley for the years ahead.
This isn’t a typical fundraising campaign. It’s about building long-term support through planned giving and growing the resources that help respond to needs in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton as they evolve.
It’s about making sure the Valley continues to thrive -- not just today, but for generations to come.
Learn more https://www.valleyfoundation.org/investing-in-the-valley/25-for-the-next-25

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

Mark your calendars!

08/25/2026

For 35 years, generations of Seymour High School students walked into Mrs. Stanek's Social Studies classroom. But history class was only part of the story.
After the final bell, there was Mock Trial to coach, Student Council to advise, another community event to support, and a student who needed a little encouragement. Karen Stanek believed young people should become involved in their community, and she made sure they saw her doing exactly that through her own service to Seymour.

Her daughter, Courtenay, remembered it this way:
"If Mom ever taught you in a class, coached you on a mock trial team, worked with you on Student Council, or helped you in one of the countless other things she was involved in, you were treated like her own child."

After Mrs. Stanek’s passing, her husband Fred established the Karen R. Stanek Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Valley Community Foundation. The scholarship supports Seymour High School students pursuing careers in education, law, and public service, continuing a lifelong investment in the students and community she loved.

Watch Karen's story and discover why, for so many in Seymour, Mrs. Stanek is a teacher they'll never forget. https://youtu.be/FHEcgfKjr2Y?
si=V4IXz9m7BTJQxrFL
.

08/19/2026

Everyone at the Valley Community Foundation was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mike Pacowta.

Mike was a true Valley leader -- someone who cared deeply about his community and the people who call it home. His commitment to the Valley and his many contributions over the years will not be forgotten.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike’s family, friends and all those whose lives he touched. He will be greatly missed, and his legacy of service to the Valley will live on.

THE VALLEY – Michael E. Pacowta, a public servant and former Shelton mayor, was remembered Tuesday (Aug. 18) for making the Valley a better place to work and live.

08/18/2026

Leave a lasting Valley legacy. Join VCF's planned giving communities -- The Gates Society...The Gaurdians Society -- today.

Please share...

08/18/2026

Say the name Wells in the Valley and chances are someone will smile.

Maybe they remember Wells Hollow. Maybe they picked out a Christmas tree with them. Maybe they stopped by the creamery. Or maybe they've simply driven past the farm on more times than they can count.

For the Wells family, it has always been more than a farm. It has been home.
When times were difficult, Henry and Edith Wells had opportunities to sell the property. They didn't.

As their son Royal remembered, "Mom and Dad had many opportunities to sell, especially when times were tough and farms were cheap... But they hung in there."
Their children grew up milking cows, selling eggs, doing chores together, and gathering for holidays that are still talked about today. Those memories inspired them to establish the Henry Shelton Wells and Edith Birdseye Wells Fund at the Valley Community Foundation.

Today, that same spirit of caring for the Valley continues through support for local cultural, historical, and community needs.

Spend a few minutes with the Wells family and the story of a place generations have called home: https://youtu.be/e6c2fpHqN2U?si=4-3uPwjHThd0-2Z-

.