Young Eagle Scout?s Court of Honor April 11

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Travis Martin, 16, of Rogers City may be the youngest local scout to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, a major milestone in the world of scouting. The Rogers City Baptist Academy junior earned his Eagle Scout award upon completing his required service project. His choice: a playground makeover for elementary students at his school.

Martin, of Troop 6 of Rogers City, with the help of some kind business people, his church youth group and family, went out and raised money to refurbish run down playground equipment, purchase a new set and relocated it to a more convenient location for school staff.

While Martin received the award back in October, his Court of Honor will be April 11 at the Rogers City Senior and Community Center at 5 p.m. It was one year ago this weekend, a Court of Honor was conducted for Eagle Scout recipients Jared Fleming, Eric Kieliszewski, David LaBar and Charlie Wickersham. He was 16 year olds and two days when he received the distinguished award.

MARTIN WORKED with Rogers City Baptist Church pastor David Rogers on the project beginning in 2008, but one of the first steps was raising more than $1,000. Total expenses ended up being $1,149, but it would have been much higher if it hadn?t been for the donations of the Knights of Columbus of Rogers City (sand), Northeast Excavating (use of equipment), Prell?s Sawmill (cedar mulch), as well as a discount on supplies and new playground equipment at Rogers City Do It Center.

Martin received a huge boost from Big D?s owner, Darrin Darga. The businessman printed out cards for Martin to sell two-item, extra large pizzas for $10, which usually go for about $14 apiece. Darga split the profits with the teen and raised $500. “The Big D?s pizza cards had written right on it, ?Travis Martin, Eagle Scout project,? ? said Russ Martin, Travis? dad. Darga also put Martin to work.

?I HAD TO go door-to-door putting flyers on door handles through the entire town,? said Travis. Darga paid the lad $200 for the job, of which his sister Lizzie lent a helping hand. Martin?s grandmother, Geri Felax, also donated $450 in memory of her husband, the late Dennis ?Sam? Felax. That gave him the money he needed to replace a ladder on the old equipment and purchase new swings. The new equipment, which was on sale at the Do It Center, was purchased for $634. The ground was leveled in front of the school section of the church complex, with sand and cedar mulch put down before the equipment was put in place.

The total hours worked by everyone was 224. Travis? time was 112 hours. Martin started in scouting in 1998 when he became a Tiger Cub and continued through every stage, until bridging into Boy Scouts six years ago. Since Rogers City doesn?t have a troop that meets anymore, Martin took it upon himself to earn six required merits the past two summers at Paul Bunyan Campground?s ?Trail to the Eagle Camp.? To qualify, he had to obtain at least 21 of 121 merit badges.

?IT WAS

SUPPOSED to be five days, but he always got done early,? said his proud mom Wendy Martin. ?Without a troop, without somebody pushing him all the time, he still did it. We are very proud of him.?

“When he started as a Tiger Cub as a six-year-old kid, you never could think of him making it to this point,? said Russ Martin. Eagle Scout Award recipients include astronauts Neil Armstrong and James Lovell; New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; former CIA chief Robert Gates; former President Gerald Ford; and Academy Award-winning film director Steven Spielberg.

It’s a rare achievement, too. Only 5 percent of all Boy Scouts obtain the rank, according to the Boy Scouts of America Web site, with about 1.7 million recipients since 1912.

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