Jonathan Pelzar named Orange County Citizen of the Month

GOSHEN- Jonathan “Jack” Pelzar of the Town of Newburgh has been named by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus as September’s Citizen of the Month.

Pelzar, 15, was recognized for recently earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and his many contributions and dedication to the community.

“Scouting prepares young men and women to be good citizens and leaders, promoting values such as service to others, loyalty, honesty, and patriotism,” Neuhaus said.  “Jonathan has exhibited hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to go above and beyond for our residents.  He has also bravely faced epilepsy with toughness and grace.  Jonathan has inspired us all with his courage and we are proud of his commitment to making Orange County an even better place to live.”

For Jonathan’s Eagle Scout service project in May, he renovated the trail #5 site at Chadwick Lake in Newburgh, putting a new roof on the gazebo, and sanding and staining it.  He also built a new picnic table and cleared the area around the site.  Pelzar, a member of BSA Troop 64, Greater Hudson Valley, has been a Scout for eight years.

Pelzar is entering his sophomore year at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J., where he maintains a 4.28 grade point average.  He participates in crew and hockey and volunteers his time coaching. Pelzar is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.  He was admitted to the Boston Leadership Institute’s pre-surgery summer courses and to Columbia University’s Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine for high school students, finishing at the top of the class.

Pelzar was inspired to study medicine after he was diagnosed with nocturnal epilepsy at the age of nine.  He suffers from nocturnal seizures, which are uncontrolled spasms or convulsions that occur when a person is sleeping.  People who have nocturnal seizures often struggle with disrupted sleep, which in turn aggravates the seizures.

Pelzar…