Six members of Troop 347 in Tontogany will be honored for achieving the Eagle Scout rank together. The ceremony celebrates an achievement reached by only about 4% of Scouts across the nation.
The Eagle Court of Honor ceremony will take place at Otsego High School on Sunday, Nov. 1. The milestone recognizes years of work by members of the local unit.
The six Scouts being recognized are:
- Noah Ellerbrock
- Nolan Vollmar
- Travis Vollmar
- Ben Nussbaum
- Jack Miles
- Crosby Brewer
The Scouts described a range of emotions about reaching the milestone. Ellerbrock said he felt accomplished. Nolan Vollmar described feeling relieved. Travis Vollmar and Brewer said they felt proud. Nussbaum noted he was excited, and Miles said he felt accomplished.
The achievement marks the highest rank within Scouting America. Members must earn dozens of merit badges showing leadership skills and work ethic.
“It means a lot. It just shows my leadership and my dedication because I’ve been doing this since first grade. It’s a long time to be dedicated to it,” Ellerbrock said.
Each Scout completed an Eagle Scout service project to benefit a local community space or organization. These individual projects required planning and service across multiple towns.
Ellerbrock built a shed for his former school, the Montessori School of Bowling Green. Nolan Vollmar built a kiosk at the Slippery Trail South Terminal in North Baltimore.
“It’s proof that I work hard and that I made an accomplishment that I can show everybody that my efforts paid off,” Nolan Vollmar said.
Travis Vollmar built gun racks for the Maumee Valley Shooting Club. He noted that very few Scouts advance all the way through the program to the final rank.
“There is actually a very low percentage of scouts that actually get to be Eagle Scouts and get to go all the way through,” he said. “I’m very proud of myself for sticking in there.”
Nussbaum built a gaga ball pit in a park near his school. He called the achievement a big accomplishment and said he was glad to give back.
Miles built helmet lockers for the Grand Rapids Baseball Fields in Grand Rapids. He explained that his older brother earned the Eagle Scout rank a couple years ago. He said he had always wanted to follow in his brother’s footsteps.
Brewer built a fence around the recycling bins next to town hall in Tontogany. He described the rank as the end of a very long process involving serious commitment.
The group spent years together on camp outs, hikes and other adventures. Several members noted they had been friends since their time in Cub Scouts.
An Eagle Court of Honor is a formal ceremony convened to present Scouting America’s highest award. Candidates must finish all service projects, merit requirements and troop leadership reviews before receiving the rank.
The ceremony at Otsego High School will conclude the long trail to Eagle for all six Tontogany Scouts.
