Michael James Meilinger, 17, son of Joe and Kay Meilinger of Rockwell, received his Eagle Scout award Dec. 7 at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Presenting the award was Scoutmaster Frank Merrell of Troop 379, sponsored by the Granite Quarry Civitans.
Meilinger, a senior at East Rowan High School, has earned 26 merit badges and is senior patrol leader. He received his God and Life award in June 2008. He is a scholar athlete in tennis, wrestling and cross country. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Junior Civitans and Sigma Phi Gamma.
A lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, he has been an usher, in the Order of St. John and was vice president of the youth group. He attended the National Lutheran Youth Gathering in 2006 and Philmont Scout Reservation in 2007.
His Eagle project was to design and build an outhouse at Happy’s Farm Tutoring School on Parks Road. It had to be handicap accessible. The school uses horses to bolster classroom training in math and reading. Rhonda Stirewalt owns the school. The Lions Club helped fund the project.
Meilinger was one of the last Scouts to join under the leadership of the late Chuck Barringer.