New Holmdel Eagle Scout Led Landscaping Project at Bayonet Farm

Thomas John Rossi of Holmdel has achieved the rank of Eagle, the highest rank awarded in Boy Scouts. 

Thomas was honored Saturday, February 4, 2012 in a ceremony held at the Holmdel Fire House Number One on Main St.  The ceremony was attended by over 100 well-wishers, including  Scouts and adults from Troop 331, faculty from Holmdel High School, special guests, friends and family, and the Order of the Arrow Tsi Hi Lodge Ceremonies Team who performed the ceremonial Eagle Court of Honor Four Winds ceremony.

Thomas has been involved with Scouting since the 1st grade when he joined Cub Scout Pack 331. After Cub Scouts, Thomas became a Webelo where he earned the Arrow of Light award. 

As a Boy Scout, Thomas spent several summers at Monmouth Boy Scout Council’s Forestburg Scout Reservation in Forestburg, NY where he earned a number of the 21 merit badges required for Eagle. His trips with the Scouts have taken him snow boarding, white water rafting, biking, winter camping, beach camping and hiking.

He has held several leadership positions such as Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Troop Guide and Troop Guide Leader. Thomas was elected by his fellow scouts to the Order of the Arrow and recently earned the rank of Brotherhood.

For his Eagle Project, Thomas planned and led the restoration of landscaping around the Laura Harding House at in June of 2011. The property is used by people for events such as weddings and reunions, and the landscaping was in disrepair due to neglect and recent construction that was completed on the house.  Two new flower beds in the front of the house complete with weed liner, several types of perennial plants that are deer resistant, soil and mulch comprised much of the project.  The plantings, as well as restoration of the front lawn have the property looking better than it has since Ms. Harding lived there. The restoration is a major step in helping the town maintain the Park so that it is an appealing place for people to experience a part of Holmdel history and to enjoy some of the serene open space owned by the town of Holmdel.

The project required two days to complete and required the help of 20+ scouts, scouters, friends and family. To fund the project, Thomas received several donations of supplies from area nurseries and scout supporters, and he held a car wash at the where he raised close to $900. That’s a lot of cars, but again a large turn out of scouts, scouters and friends helped make quick work of the line of cars waiting for a quality wash.

Thomas is 16 years old and a sophomore at Holmdel High School. He is a member of the Cross Country and Track Teams. He works during the summer for the town of Spring Lake as a beach crew worker and he is an avid snow boarder, surfer and long boarder.  He is thinking about pursuing a career in computer aided graphic design.

Holmdel Patch loves to hear about Holmdel volunteers. Send your submission and photos to christina.johnson@patch.com.