GOSHEN—The Orange County Legislature proclaimed March 2 as Anthony Mancinelli Day in the county to recognize the New Windsor barber who celebrated his 105th birthday. Mancinelli’s son and a granddaughter stood with him as he accepted the honor.
Christopher Eachus who represents District 15 has his hair cut by Mancinelli. Eachus read a section of the Legislature’s proclamation, which acknowledged Mancinelli’s “heart of gold and is a master barber by those who know best.”
“Longevity of life is a blessing for an individual and for a community, which benefits from his wisdom, creativity, and a great haircut given by Anthony Mansinelli,” the proclamation continued.
Eachus asked the honoree the secret to his longevity. “If I only knew the secret [of longevity], I would give it to everyone. There is only one person who knows the secret and that is the man above,” Mancinelli said.
The women who work in the Fantastic Cuts barbershop asked Mancinelli how he stayed fit as pasta is an Italian favorite. Eachus asked how he responded, which legislators greeted with warm laughter.
“Do you eat everything to stay the way you are?' one asked.
“Yes. I eat everything.”
“Do you eat pasta?”
“Why, yes.”
“But pasta is fattening. And you eat spaghetti?’
“Yes I do.”
“But you’re not fat.”
“I eat thin spaghetti,” Mancinelli said. “You cannot gain weight on thin spaghetti.”
Now, a haircut from Mr. Mancinelli costs $12 and, his repeat customers say, his fingers are just as nimble.
“He’s the fastest barber I know, and he still cuts very straight,” said Mr. Jaffe, 60, whose 4-year-old-grandson, Anthony Colonna, was also getting a haircut from Mancinelli. Later in the day, Mancinelli gave a lollipop to Anthony, patted his head, and wheeled around to find the next customer in his chair,” reported the worldbreakingrecord website.
Born in Italy, Mancinelli arrived in this country around the age of 8 and began hair cutting at 12. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for not only as the longest serving barber but also the oldest.
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