Cle Elum Member Awarded Eagle Scout

by Jay Wintermeyer

CLE ELUM, Wash., 1-28-2012 - A Court of Honor was held Jan. 28, at the Ellensburg Church to present Arill Bartrand (Cle Elum Church member) with the rank of Eagle Scout. This is the highest rank that can be earned as a Boy Scout for which Arill had to first earn all the lower ranks in Scouting and over 21 merit badges including Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation and Citizenship in the World.

Arill had to serve at least six months in a troop leadership position as well as plan, develop, secure donations of material and labor, and give leadership to a civic project. He chose to build a bridge, two miles up a steep trail above Easton, at an inconvenient, and potentially dangerous, crossing of Silver Creek. He worked with the U.S. Forest Service and arranged for Clarence Grilley (Monroe Church member) and David Bartrand to have two pack strings to haul the equipment and materials up the trail. Troop 493 of Ellensburg, under the supervision of David Poage (Cle Elum Church member) and Scoutmaster Larry Hudson worked with others to do the groundwork, build the abutments and place and secure the decking and railing. Now, instead of getting wet and potentially slipping into the creek, hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders have a beautiful safe bridge to cross.

During the ceremony, Arill honored his parents, David and Meg Bartrand, along with several mentors with special parent and mentor pins. Arill is a senior at Hanford High School, Richland, Washington.

He plans to study math, science and engineering in college next year.