By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Boy Scout John “Zack” Krasnansky spent weeks organizing colonial-era tools and Native American artifacts for display in the Somerset County Historical Society home on Van Veghten Avenue in Finderne, just over the Raritan River bridge from Manville.
But one personal item presented to him at his Eagle Scout ceremony on Saturday may turn out to be the most meaningful to the rising Hillsborough High School senior.
The gift was a belt buckle from his father, John 3rd. On the inside of the buckle dad had etched marks for each of the 28 campouts on which he joined his son in his 11-year Boy Scouting career. The dates of the first (April 2010 in Jockey Hollow section of Morristown National Park) to the last (November 2015 in Gettysburg, Pa.) were written there, too.
“I didn’t know anything about the belt buckle,” said Zach on Tuesday. “It surprised me completely. It touched me.”
Congressman Leonard Lance, who has attended more than 1,600 such festivities in his 20-plus year career as state and federal legislator, came Saturday to present Zack a Congressional citation that represented the hope and expectation “that you will be a leader.”
“You have a sense of history,” Mr. Lance said, “and so do I . . . America is crying out for leadership I have great faith in the future of this country that it can will remain the pre-eminent power on earth.”
For his Eagle project, Zack took on the task of converting two rooms in the Van Veghten House into a museum. Zack secured a collection of local Native American artifacts and colonial hand tools, some from the society’s assemblage, but many from a personal lifelong collection from his grandfather, John Krasnansky Jr., who lives in Manville.
Zack’s grandfather is a member of the historical society, which wanted to use rooms in the VanVeghten House as a museum, but didn’t know where to start, Zack said. His grandfather suggested taking on the job as an Eagle Scout project.
As project manager, Zack’s responsibilities included designing the room layouts and placement of interpretive materials, organizing volunteer help to construct display cases and refinish the rooms, and raising funds for materials and supplies. He and about a dozen other Scouts from Troop 89 built two display cases, stained and renovated another, cleaned every tool, and painted the floor, ceiling and walls of the rooms.
The project will be a focal point of the society’s annual October “Weekend Journey through the Past” at the house, which evolved from the first house built by Michael Van Veghten before 1720. It is situated near the cul-de-sac at an industrial area; turn at the new Somerset County ESC building.
Zach earned 26 merit badges and certifications in snorkeling and lifeguarding in his Scouting career. He will work this summer at the Ten Mile Scout Reservation near Narrowsburg, N.Y., this summer, primarily training Scouts as life guards. His brother, Derek, 12, in his second year as a Boy Scout, will attend camp there.
At the ceremony, Zach’s mother, Faith, talked about how she felt Zach met each of the qualities of being a Scout.
Zack’s best friend, fellow Scout Max Steimel, summed up his remarks with “I’m really proud of you, bro.”
For himself, Zack said becoming an Eagle Scout “has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. . . so far,” adding “it’s fun” and encouraging other Scouts to take on the challenge.
The Scouts organized a scrap metal drive to raise money for the project, and got donations from many people, including society members.
If you would like to make a donation to help offset the cost, they can be mailed to Somerset County Historical Society, c/o Museum Project, 9 Van Veghten Drive, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, or made online at the society’s website.
