Meet COF member Alyxandria Lunemann: the youngest Eagle Scout in the Chippewa Valley Council and the first female Eagle Scout in Chippewa County.
Alyxandria Lunemann, following in the footsteps of her two older brothers, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout earlier this year. She’s the first female Eagle Scout in Chippewa County and, at 13 years old, is the youngest Scout in the Chippewa Valley Council.
Alyxandria and her family are Catholic Order of Foresters (COF) members. Christ the King 1923 in Bloomer, Wisconsin, is their local court. Scouting is a family tradition, with all three kids earning the rank of Eagle Scout in their teenage years. Their mother, Janis Lunemann was their scoutmaster.
“Both of my brothers are Eagle Scouts, and I have always looked up to them,” said Alyxandria, speaking over the phone with her mother Janis. “I hope to be a role model for younger girls, an inspiration to them.”
Earning Scouting’s Highest Rank
If achieving the rank of Eagle Scout at 13 years old sounds challenging, that’s because it is. According to a 2019 research study, only eight percent of all Scouts became Eagle Scouts that year. The average new Eagle Scout is 17 years old.
Alyxandria flew through the scouting ranks to become an Eagle Scout. Soon after joining the Chippewa Valley Council in February 2019, she earned the rank of Tenderfoot, then Second Class, then First Class, then Star, then Life, and finally Eagle after completing her Eagle Project. For that project, she and four other Scouts made ramps for Community Cats Rescue and Adoption Center in Rice Lake.
“Cats like to climb and be high up in the air, so we made ramps for them,” said Alyxandria, adding that her love of animals and nature led her to choosing a local cat adoption center.
No other Eagle Scout applicant in the history of the Chippewa Valley Council received as many letters of recommendation.
During Alyxandria’s Eagle Ceremony, Wisconsin State Assembly representatives Rob Summerfield and Jesse James showed up to congratulate her. “80 people came out to the ceremony,” said Janis.
With over 25 badges and Scouting achievements, one in particular stands out in Alyxandria’s mind: her Ad Altare Dei emblem, which she earned from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Article by Connor McEleney