Christopher Newlun, of Williamsburg, has been awarded the Eagle Scout rank by the Boy Scouts of America. Newlun, son of Bryan and Penni Newlun, is entering his junior year at Interlochen Arts Academy where he is a music major studying the oboe. He holds the position of first chair in the Interlochen Arts Academy Band and has performed numerous concerts and recitals during the two years he attended Interlochen Arts Camp and as a member of the Traverse Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Newlun started his scouting career as a Bear Cub in Pack 103 where he earned his Arrow of Light Award and the Cub Scout World Conservation Award. He crossed over into Troop 28, then transferred to Troop 30 where he has earned 32 merit badges. He has also earned the World Conservation Award and the Gerald R. Ford Award. He has served as an assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, troop quartermaster and performed the duties of den chief. He is a three-year member of the Governor's Honor Guard on Mackinac Island with Troop 411 out of Escanaba and has worked on staff at Camp Greilick for two years.
He is a brotherhood member of Indian Drum Lodge 152. He spent a week at the Arrow Corp 5 service project in the Mark Twain National Forest near Branson, Mo., and will attend the National Leadership Seminar in Toledo this October. He earned his Polar Bear badge while at Wilderness State Park sleeping out all night in 19-degree weather in a shelter he helped build.
During the past three years, Newlun has performed flag duties with veterans of the Williamsburg American Legion Post during the Memorial Day parades and at events for local and state government officials.
His Eagle project involved the organization, planning and operation of a First Aid station at the 2008 VASA cross country ski race in Traverse City. His team was responsible for handing out drinks and fruit and offering assistance for the more than 400 skiers as they came through the check point. He was also responsible for coordinating the volunteers serving lunch to the racers.
