Amy Cooknick

Eagle Staff Writer

To earn the title “Eagle Scout,” a boy must demonstrate superior honor, loyalty, courage, responsibility and service in all he does.

It also helps if he’s a Stock.

Blake Stock, a ninth grader at Butler Intermediate High School, became the fourth Stock family Eagle Scout on Feb. 26, following his three older brothers, Andrew, Adam and Ben.

“It wasn’t too much pressure, but I had to get it,” Blake said.

Blake, the assistant senior patrol leader for Troop 19, celebrated his Court of Honor at Meridian Volunteer Fire Company on May 18, where his brothers presented him with the Eagle Charge.

All four boys earned their Eagle Scouts with Troop 19 in Meridian, beginning with Andrew in August 2010. Adam and Ben followed in March 2012.

“They make a joke that we’re half the troop at all times because there are just so many of us,” Andrew said. “We’ve got three other Eagles (in Troop 19), so there’s more Stock Eagles than anyone else.”

Andrew said he and Adam joined the Cub Scouts in 2002 when Andrew was in second grade and Adam in first. By 2005, all four Stock boys were involved with Scouts at some level.

Although the brothers weren’t all in Boy Scouts at the same time — Andrew said he had mostly aged out by the time Blake got involved — they all supported each other throughout their individual Scouting careers.

This family support became especially important after the boys’ father, Rich Stock, died in April 2013.

Julie Stock, the boys’ mother, said her husband got their sons through most of their Eagle Scout requirements.

Although Blake said he didn’t feel pressure from his brothers to earn his Eagle, Julie said she pressured her youngest son in some ways.

“He had done all of his requirements except for his Eagle project before his dad passed,” Julie said. “So he kind of was (pressured). Mostly by me because I felt that he needed to complete it while it still meant something.”

Adam said their dad was never a Scout himself, but he was very active as the committee chairman for Troop 19 for 10 years after his sons got involved.

“He started when Andrew and I joined,” Adam said. “He was right there helping out with that, going to all the campouts.”

Rich even received several Scouting honors as a leader at Camp Bucoco in Slippery Rock, where Troop 19 spends a week each summer.

Andrew said his dad earned a special Gold Oak Leaf badge at Bucoco and was elected into the Order of the Arrow, a Scouting honor society that requires completion of a secret ordeal to enter.

“He kind of did it for the sake of knowing what to expect for when we did it, so he kind of helped us through that,” Andrew said.

Mike Slupe, Butler County Sheriff and district chairman for the Glacier Ridge District for the Boy Scouts of America, said he knows the Stock family well. He attended Blake’s Court of Honor in May.

“Rich just loved his kids as all great fathers should do and it was just a great event,” Slupe said. “I have been able to attend and present for each of the boys and it’s just great to have all of them reach this milestone.”

Blake said now that he’s through his Eagle requirements, he looks forward to staying involved with the organization by helping younger Scouts.