Scouts earn Eagle rank

FREEHOLD - Five Boy Scouts from Troop 18, St. Rose of Lima Church, were recognized in an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony. The troop members who attained the rank of Eagle Scout are Mario Favorito, Jonathan Noto, C.J. DeMarco, Christopher D'Ambrosio and Gregory Heden.

D'Ambrosio, 16, of Freehold Town-ship, began his scouting career in 1997. His Eagle Scout project consisted of a parking lot island improvement project for the Freehold Township Senior Center on Jackson Mills Road, Freehold Town-ship. Leading scouts and adults, D'Am-brosio landscaped three islands.

D'Ambrosio is a junior at Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and is on the varsity bowling team, Spanish Club, Sci-Fi Club and LaSallian Youth Group, which seeks to help the homeless. He tutors younger students at an after-school tutoring program at St. Peters Episcopal Church, Freehold Borough.

DeMarco, 17, completed an Eagle leadership project that consisted of working for the Ronald McDonald House, Long Branch, and building a shed, a picnic table and benches, refinishing an existing picnic table and benches and building a child-sized table and chair set. He also donated a number of other items to the Ronald McDonald House from a wish list, including a vacuum cleaner and numerous grocery items and cleaning supplies.

DeMarco raised the money needed for his project through fundraising which involved a day-long car wash and selling candy bars.

DeMarco is a senior at Freehold High School and plans to go to college after graduation. He plays for the Colonials' varsity basketball team, varsity track and field team and football team.

Heden, 17, completed an Eagle project which aids in controlling erosion at Lake Topanemus Park, Pond Road. Over several days, he led a large group of volunteers and installed pipes under the trails in 13 locations. These pipes funnel the rain water under the trail, rather than washing off the top layer of gravel. The most difficult and time-consuming part of the job was moving more than eight tons of stone manually. He also erected mileage markers along the trail. Heden earned money for the project by selling plants and running a car wash.

A senior at Freehold High School, Heden is currently enrolled in the computer science academy and was elected to the National Honor Society. He runs varsity cross country and varsity indoor and outdoor track for the Colonials. His hobbies include building and maintaining computers for himself and other people. His interest in computers enabled him to design and create the troop's Web site.

Noto's Eagle project was to coordinate the building of a handicap access ramp for the St. Rose of Lima School gymnasium. This project consisted of getting approval throughout all phases, choosing an appropriate entrance, choosing appropriate materials, getting estimates from several contractors including a cost estimate from Anthony Piccione and an architectural plan from Lawrence Slawson, and working closely with the builder, Anthony Nicosia, throughout the project. Fundraising was done via letter writing, in person, and through the school.

Noto also had two fundraisers with his fellow scouts, a car wash in town and bagging at ShopRite of Freehold. He and his fellow scouts worked on removing and replacing landscaping at the site of the ramp and helped with the demolition of the original wall and removal of debris.

The project took more than two years to complete.

Noto graduated from Freehold Town-ship High School in June. He is presently attending college.

Favorito, 18, of Freehold, started his trail to Eagle 12 years ago. His leadership project included plans to beautify the St. Rose of Lima School grounds. He provided landscaping and renewed the front entrance of St. Rose of Lima School. Included in this beautification project was the addition of a park bench on the property across from the American flag.

This project required a great deal of fundraising. Favorito earned all the money needed for this initiative by conducting a car wash and a candy sale after every mass at St. Rose of Lima Church one weekend.

Favorito is a Freehold High School graduate and is now a freshman in college.