BETTENDORF — In the Bennie-DeRooi family, four members have attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable in Boy Scouting.
Ron DeRooi earned the rank in 1974. Alexander Bennie, the youngest family member, earned the rank March 6, 2011. He joined his brothers Jarrod DeRooi and Joe DeRooi, who previously earned the Eagle Scout rank.
Ron and his wife, Jessica Bennie-DeRooi, and their sons are members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bettendorf.
Alex, a senior at Assumption High School in Davenport, began scouting in 1999 with Pack 199 at Lourdes Catholic School in Bettendorf. He earned the Cub Scout religious award, the Parvuli Dei medal, and the Cub Scouts’ highest award – the Arrow of Light. In 2003 he joined Boy Scout Troop 89, which is chartered through Bettendorf Presbyterian Church.
He has served as patrol leader, assistant patrol leader and troop instructor. He was inducted into the Brotherhood of the Arrow in 2006 and in 2007 received the Ad Altaire Dei medal, the Boy Scouts’ highest religious award.
His Eagle Scout project was the planning and building of an herb garden at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf. Alex passed the Eagle Scout Board of Review in October.
