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DeMartelaere earns Eagle Scout honor
Published 3:13pm Saturday, October 4, 2008Christopher DeMartelaere of Fergus Falls Boy Scout Troop 305 received the Eagle Scout Award Sept. 27 at Augustana Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls. He’s the first person in his family to receive Boy Scout’s highest honor.
For his Eagle project, DeMartelaere supervised the construction and placing of wood duck houses on public land near Orwell Dam southwest of Fergus Falls. He received donations for the project from the Fergus Falls Fish and Game Club, H&R Construction, Mills Fleet Farm and Sauer’s Saw Mill.
The wood duck houses were built from rough-cut lumber from a pattern given to DeMartelaere from Leon Hanstad. He asked for and was granted permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place the wood duck houses at Orwell Dam’s south unit along County Highway 2.
The Eagle Scout recipient, the son of Mark and LuAnn DeMartelaere, joined the scouting program in 1997 when he became a member of Cub Scout Pack 304, when he was a first grader at McKinley School. As a Cub Scout he earned the Tiger, Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light badge, the highest badge in Cub Scouts. As a Webelos member he attended Camp Wilderness near Park Rapids.
He bridged over to Boy Scouts in February 2002 as a fifth grader and joined Troop 305, sponsored by the Augustana churchmen.
As a Boy Scout he went through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life prior to attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Along the way he earned 12 required merit badges and nine elective merit badges.
DeMartelaere served the troop in several leadership positions. They included scribe, librarian, chaplain aide, assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol leader.
“My favorite camping trip was the Oxcart Trail District’s Spring Camporee at Dayton Hollow Dam south of Fergus Falls,” he said. “I was the archer with the strong bow for the Arrow of the Light ceremony.”
DeMartelaere is a senior at Fergus Falls High School where he is a member of the cross country team, is student manager for the boys basketball team, is a member of the track team and is a member of the National Honor Society.
He attends Our Lady of Victory Church, has competed with the church youth softball team and is a member of the OLV youth group. Future plans for DeMartelaere include attending college and pursuing a career in wildlife conservation.
“I owe a lot to my scout leaders over the years,” DeMartelaere said. “Without them, there would be no scouting. Many people also supported us when we sold popcorn and Christmas wreaths. This allowed us to attend camps throughout the year.”
DeMartelaere gives special recognition to scout leaders Dave Iverson and Mike Partain.
“Without their guidance and dedication, I would not have become an Eagle Scout,” he said.
