It probably came as a great honor but no surprise to Boyscout and now Eagle Scout Anthony Martignetti when he received congratulations from the office of His Holiness, Pope Francis on his accomplishment in the Boy Scouts. The son of Tara and the late Anthony Martignetti, Jr. Anthony is a frequent acolyte at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and a 2022 graduate of Henry Hudson Regional School. He is also the stepson of Tim Sheridan and the family lives on Highland Avenue in Highlands.
Anthony was one of the three Troop 22 boy scouts who was honored at the Eagle Court of Honor at OLPH school auditorium last week and received numerous letters of congratulations, not only from the Apostolic Nuncio for Pope Francis, but also from the Attorney General, Governor Murphy, House Speaker Kevin Speaker, US Attorney Philip Sellinger, the National Park Service and officers and officials of the US Air Force and the US Space Force, the National Boy Scouts of America and the National Eagle Scout Association, to name some of the letters contained in the report each Eagle included at the ceremony.
Anthony chose to improve an open-air courtyard at Care One at Middletown Care Center on Route 36 in Middletown as his project where he created new planters and filled them with perennial flowers to enhance the area residents enjoy daily during good weather.
He credits his team of eight scouts who worked with him on the project, including Kevin Connelly, Jr., another scout who was honored at the Eagle Court of Honor for his own work, for completing the project. One of the requirements in achieving the Eagle Scout award is to not only plan, research and carry out a project, but also to lead a team of scouts in completing all the work it involves, an example of the Eagle’s leadership skills.
The Eagle Scout said the most difficult part of the overall project was researching the types of woods to be used for optimum endurance and the proper perennial plants so residents would be able to enjoy them. He chose the nursing home simply because “I thought it would be a good place to put it,” knowing it would be an attraction that would keep residents relaxed and happy.
Anthony noted that staff at Care One were highly cooperative throughout the time he was planning and working on the project and expressed thanks to them for their appreciation of the work he did.
Anthony’s uncle, Alan Resch, presented the Eagle Award to his nephew during the ceremony. Anthony credited his uncle and his mother as his mentors in achieving his goal.
Aside from the congratulations and honors last month at the Court of Honor when Anthony received the highest award in Boy Scouting, the scout earlier in the year also put to life saving use other training he received in scouting.
While at a private pool party with family and friends, Anthony noticed a man fall in the water. As others rushed to get him out, the man was in obvious distress, turning blue and unable to breathe. Anthony immediately started CPR, working on the man until an EMT unit arrived on the scene. Others at the event noted it was obvious it was Anthony’s quick actions that saved the fallen man’s life.
