Domenick Andreini Becomes Latest Eagle Scout For Troop 113

Domenick Andreini, center, with his Eagle Scout certificate. With him are his parents, Lisa and Domenick Sr.

Domenick Andreini knew he wanted to be an Eagle Scout from practically the moment he became a Boy Scout.

“I knew my first Eagle Court of Honor, I saw, I believe, Tim Dillon up there on that stage with his family, that I wanted to be there with my family,” he said.

Andreini got his wish on May 20 when, accompanied by his parents, Lisa and Domenick, Sr., he sat on the stage at Somerset Presbyterian Church for his own Eagle Court of Honor.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts. Andreini was a member of Troop 113, sponsored by the church, before he aged out when he turned 18.

Each Eagle Scout candidate must complete a project to qualify for the rank. Andreini’s project was to collect donations of personal items to be put into care packages for children fighting cancer, which were donated to the Alex4Ever Fund. The fund was created in memory of another Troop 113 scout, Alex Criscione, who died at age 19 from cancer.

Andreini said he almost quit the project because, he said, “I had no drive to do the project.”

“And then I remembered that I could impact so many people and that Alex was a very important member of the Troop 113 team, and his legacy will live on forever,” he said. “I think it was very important to stick to the project not do it when you feel like it. It’s very important to stay committed. I feel like that if I had (quit) I wouldn’t have been helping others the way that they helped me.”

In her remarks during the ceremony, Andreini’s mother, Lisa, thanked his scout masters and others who worked with him during his time in the scouts.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly takes a village to nurture an Eagle Scout,” she said.

“He accomplished what he set out to do,” she said of her son. “But most importantly he grew as a scout leader and as a person. It is the journey to become an Eagle Scout that is important. Today I stand here a proud mom, watching how my son has grown and looking forward to the young man he is becoming.”

His father, Domenick Sr., was also a scout, although he did not attain the rank of Eagle.

“I’m very proud of my son,” he said during his remarks. “It’s been a long journey, sometimes he needed a little push, but he persevered. I just want to say I love you and I’m very proud of you.”

Mayor Phil Kramer was also on hand to congratulate the township’s newest Eagle Scout and his family.

Speaking to Andreini’s friends gathered in the church, Kramer said, “I’m really more here to congratulate his parents and all of you. Domenick got here because of his parents and all of you.”

Domenick, I know you know that,” he said. “You don’t get to be an Eagle Scout without knowing that you are part of a team. Our society is a team, and he now knows what it is to be a part of society and to contribute to society.”

“Remember the people who helped get you here, and congratulations on all of you on your achievement today,” Kramer said.

After graduation from Franklin High School next month, Andreini said he will attend Raritan Valley Community College to study political science “and use that as my platform into the world.”

2017 Domenick Andreini Eagle Court of Honor

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