Castle Rock Boy Scout raises $5,000 to honor K-9 officers in Douglas County

In an ambitious mission to achieve his Eagle Scout badge, a local Castle Rock Boy Scout raised enough money to donate a plaque commemorating the history of all Douglas County Sheriff's Office K-9 officers.

Sam Callery, 15, is a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 770 and a student at Valor Christian High School. And, in one day of online fundraising, the boy scout said he raised $5,000 to dedicate a plaque recognizing all K-9 officers in Douglas County Sheriff's Office history.

“I've always loved animals. I have two dogs. So I wanted to do something with animals,” Callery said. “And then I have a couple of neighbors and family friends who are law enforcement. They've always been good role models, so I thought this was a cool way to honor both.”

Now, Callery aspires to raise a total $15,000 to purchase a life-size K-9 statue for the sheriff's office, while any extra funds raised will go towards the preservation of sheriff’s office monuments. So far, the boys scout said he has raised $7,000 through his online fundraiser.

The K-9 dedication plaque for Douglas County Sheriff's Office is part of the Boy Scout's Eagle project. Plans call for the plaque to be placed in front of the Douglas County Justice Center, next to the fallen officer memorials.

In a statement, Douglas County Sheriff’s officials said Callery contacted them several months ago to dedicate a memorial project to achieve his Eagle Scout project.

Only 6% of Boy Scouts achieve the Eagle Scout ranking.

And the K-9 dedication was a final step for Callery.

During the most recent Douglas County Commissioners meeting, Callery was recognized by county commissioners, and Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.

"Sam is a remarkable young man,” said Weekly, a former K-9 handler.

“I have a special appreciation for these dogs,” the sheriff said. “To have them memorialized in this way means a lot to our agency. We are grateful for Sam's initiative to get this accomplished.”

Friends of Douglas County K-9, a local nonprofit supporting the Douglas County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit, recognized Callery, saying in a statement “we’re so grateful for Sam’s efforts honoring the hard-working K-9s of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.”

The organization is having its annual fundraiser The 13th Annual Howling Good Time September 19 in Castle Pines.

Callery said he expects to receive his Eagle Scout badge before the year ends.

“This is definitely one of the biggest things I have done while in Boy Scouts,” Callery said. “It's been a pretty exciting project, and I hope it influences others to give back to their law enforcement communities too.”