Court of Honor Celebrates Five New Eagle Scouts in Homewood

the field.

Gavin told the Eagle Scout board of review that the idea for this project originated from personal experience when he and his friends routinely biked along the trail before they got their driver’s licenses, and one of his friends had an issue that would have benefited from such a device.

Gavin is the son of Mike and Kristie McAbee.

Ben Gosdin

Ben’s Eagle project was the design, building and installation of six benches to be used by students, teachers and parents at the Alabama Waldorf School.

The board was impressed with the backpacked 20 miles. He was elected by his peers for the Order of the Arrow.

Hews has held several leadership positions in Troop 320, including patrol leader twice, chaplain’s aide and Order of Arrow representative, and he led the organization of a supply drive for First Light Women and Children’s Shelter.

While a Scout, Hews camped 25 physician with UAB Medicine’s Sports and Exercise Medicine clinic. He also became a team physician for UAB athletics, Birmingham Legion FC, Birmingham Bulls hockey and the USFL.

Casp continues to travel internationally to tend to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team each year.

Casp himself skis, a skill that helps him in his medical care for the ski team.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, you have to be on the snow,” he said. “The slopes are a little steeper and icier, so it’s not as leisurely.”

With spring break season arriving for Alabamians and a ski or snowboard trip just a few hours away, Casp has some recommendations for staying safe on the slopes and mak-

Bluff Park WindoW Works

craftsmanship and design of the benches and spent a nice portion of the time talking through the various leadership skills that the project required of Ben, Mullins said.

Ben is the son of Brian Gosdin and Leigh Leatham.

Gilder Johnson

Gilder’s project was the clearing and rehabilitation of an overgrown area at Avondale Park for the creation of a nature trail. On this trail, he installed a series of tree identification tags highlighting the diversity of tree species in the park near the old zoo portion, Mullins said in his summary. He spoke to the Eagle Scout board nights, hiked 22 miles and backpacked 20 miles. He also was elected by his peers for the Order of the Arrow. ing sure a ski vacation remains fun and injury-free.

The brothers chose Eagle projects that benefit their church, Mountain Brook Baptist Church. Senior pastor Wayne Splawn asked if they could build stairs and a pathway to the Early Learning Center playground, which is in the backyard of the missionary house next to the church.

Many children and youth travel to the backyard for activities, so the pathway and steps were needed. Several other Eagle projects also have transformed the area, such as a hammock hangout, a fire pit area and an outdoor worship space.

“I’m always hearing about people coming back with a lot of injuries that could have been avoided with

Casp’s Recommendations

Have the Right Equipment

“Ice and snow are obviously slippery, and you can fall at any time,” Casp said. “An appropriately fitted helmet can protect the most important part of your body. Ski boots, skis and bindings that fit and are wellmaintained will ensure they release and not overly torque your knee when you fall.”

Get Your Body Ready

Casp says, while mimicking the demands of skiing and snowboarding is not easy here in Alabama, being in “ski shape” can be accomplished with some at-home workouts.

“The most important muscles that get fatigued during snow sports include your quadriceps, hip abductors and glutes,” he said.

of review board about the highs and lows of his project, and they spent a good bit of the time discussing project management and the leadership required to lead a group of boys in such an endeavor.

Gilder is the son of Brandon Johnson and Christie Gilder Johnson.

Andrew Laird

Andrew’s Eagle project was to build 16 benches for the Trinity United Methodist Church West Campus.

The board was impressed with the number of benches and how Andrew set up bench kits for the teams of helpers to assemble.

Andrew reflected on his trip to Swamp Base High Adventure and

The brothers researched ideas and made many visits to Woerner Landscape and Classic Iron Works to develop their plans, set their budgets and execute their projects. They were even able to add a butterfly garden and donate left over money to the church.

Carter is a senior at Mountain Brook High School. At school, he is involved in the school’ Broadcast some extra forewarning,” Casp said. “Having worked out in Colorado, I’ve seen all the injuries that occur. Some of the most common injuries in skiing are knee ligament injuries,

“There are a number of ski preparation workouts on the internet, and they usually involve some combination of squats, lunges and plyometrics. This should start several weeks before your trip and can significantly decrease your risk of a knee injury if your legs begin to fatigue.”

Ski to Your Level

“When you get to the mountain, make sure you are aware of your abilities, and stick to terrain that is appropriate for your level,” Casp said. “If this is your first time, I highly recommend a professional lesson or ski school. This will make sure you understand the basics and are safe and will make the rest of the trip much more enjoyable if you aren’t spending all your energy getting up from a tumble.”

Traffic on the Mountain

Casp notes that more and more people are making ski trips, so the bigger resorts are getting more

Wilderness Survival campouts. Andrew is the son of Andy and Audrey Laird.

Connor Robinson shin-bone fractures and shoulder/collarbone injuries. We see the same injuries in snowboarding, but we frequently see wrist injuries or wrist fractures as well. crowded. Collisions happen and can result in significant injury. He recommends always trying to move predictably down the hill. Do not stop in the middle of the trail to wait for people, and never stop where uphill skiers and snowboarders cannot see you, such as just downhill of a roller. If trails are merging, always yield to the uphill traffic coming down the hill.

Connor’s Eagle project was a redesign and replacement of the fruit and vegetable washing station at the Jones Valley Teaching Farm in downtown Birmingham.

Connor’s updated station has given the students and volunteers at the farm an efficient place to clean the garden’s harvest but also a much-needed shaded area to escape the full sun and heat at the farm. Mullins said he anticipates that his project will be used by countless students and volunteers for years to come.

Connor is the son of Drew Robinson and Cheri Allen Elliott.

Team, where he is the technical director. He was selected as an ambassador and is a member of Key Club, BigTime Ministry, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Art Honor Society.

He volunteers as a youth and children’s Bible Study leader at his church. Carter enjoys tennis and works at Birmingham Tennis Academy.

Hews is a sophomore at Hilton Head Preparatory School, where he is a member of the varsity tennis team and National Honor Society. He enjoys playing tennis and trains with the Van der Meer Tennis Academy. They are the sons of Rebecca and Davis Goodson.

Stay Safe at Altitude

The altitude of mountains in Western states is high, and the air is very dry, quite different from the Alabama climate, Casp said.

“It is much easier to get dehydrated, so make sure to drink lots of water, bring Chapstick and hand lotion. Also, alcohol can affect you considerably more at high altitude and cause faster dehydration. This can impair your judgment and make for dangerous skiing – not to mention the nasty hangover you will feel the next day.”