GALLANTLY STREAMING

GALLANTLY STREAMING Local teen brings people together through the American flag

HHaving been surrounded by veterans his entire life, Sparkman High School junior Hunter Goffinett knew when it came to choosing his Eagle Scout project, it had to be veteran oriented.

“My dad is a veteran of the Marines, and my grandpa is a veteran of the Navy,” Goffinett said. “Plus, all of the veterans in the Scouts have led me to even more connections with veterans through American Legion Post 229.”

In fact, the American Legion connects prominently to Goffinett’s project as he constructed the flag retirement pit in the American Legion designated area for veterans in downtown’s Madison Park. “The idea of the flag retirement pit came to me when we had a flag retirement ceremony and didn’t have an actual designated location,” Goffinett said. “We had to use giant burn barrels instead, which led to scorch marks in the ground, and it seemed to take the properness out of the ceremony.”

Goffinett proposed the idea to American Legion Post 229 to get the members’ approval. The next step was presenting his idea for permission at a Madison City Council meeting.

A lot of people actually do not know tattered flags need to be retired, and these retirement ceremonies can help teach about the ideals of the flag and what they represent.

– Hunter Goffinett

“It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be,” Goffinett said. “From getting permission to present, it was just a matter of not having stage fright. I presented my idea a few times and gave them updates, and in the end, they agreed to set aside $1,000 to finance my project.”

Building the pit took two days, and Goffinett enlisted 25 people to help get the project accomplished. The pit is built with paver sand, gravel, paver stones and a fire ring. In the end, the total cost of the project was $1,500.

“When we were building the pit, you had to do a double take every once and a while because of all the Scouts swinging pickaxes,” Goffinett said, “and in the end, we busted a sprinkler and had to patch it up real quick.”

After word got out that Goffinett had built the pit, he said his family became known as the “flag retirement people.” Scouts as well as friends and family of Scouts, along with community members, began sending them flags. They eventually collected stacks and stacks of boxes of flags. With the large number of flags to be retired, Goffinett hosted his first flag retirement ceremony, inviting the Sparkman High School Teens for Troops club members to help out. It was the first time he personally used the pit.

“I actually liked doing the ceremony with my friends. It makes me feel more relaxed than at a larger ceremony,” Goffinett said. “I think it taught them a lot about the honor and legacy of the American flag and also about the retirement ceremony itself.” Even though it started to rain during his October ceremony, Goffinett said he did not hurry the ceremony along, reading the entire speech about the history and values of the American flag and the triumphs and hardships it has faced throughout time.

Teaching people the proper way to retire the American flag is important to Goffinett and one reason this project means so much to him.

“A lot of people actually do not know tattered flags need to be retired, and these retirement ceremonies can help teach about the ideals of the flag and what they represent,” Goffinett said. “After the speech, the largest flag is presented, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Then finally, the large flag is retired in the fire pit, followed by the rest of the flags.”

Goffinett has been a member of the Scouts since he was 6 years old. The Eagle Scout project is the last hurdle Scouts take on to get their Eagle Rank.

“After I finished all 13 Eagle Merit badges, I took on the project,” Goffinett said. “Once the fire pit was completed, I finally got my rank after 10 years of Scouts.” Besides introducing him to the flag retirement ceremony, Goffinett credits the Scouts for intensifying his affection for giving back to the community, something he describes as improving the quality of life overall.

Madison Living 35 “Without service and volunteering, many aspects of the community that are beautiful now could fall into disarray and deteriorate, and I believe the Scouts not only maintain the beauty of the community, they go a step beyond that,” Goffinett said. “Through their Eagle Projects, they can create needed improvements that might never reached fruition if the Eagle Scouts were not there. From wheelchair ramps to flower beds, Eagle Projects improve the quality of life for many people.”

Goffinett’s Eagle Project is designed to do just that. Anyone wanting to retire flags can use the pit. They need to get permission from the American Legion Post 229 for access to the key to the pit, and they also need to inform the Madison Fire Department of the date and time of the ceremony.

“The fire pit has allowed a designated area where flag retirement ceremonies can be held for practically anyone,” Goffinett said. “It has been used by the Girl Scouts and the Knights of Columbus, and I believe it has brought people together in a good way – where we can all come together and connect with one another on some of our greatest virtues and ideas.”

MCS begins quest for new leader who can keep schools’ legacy strong

Ranae Bartlett

President Madison City Schools Board of Education

TThe search for a new Madison City Schools superintendent is well under way.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Robby Parker, who led our system through a period of unprecedented growth. We are happy for him and the opportunities for him in his retirement from Madison City Schools after 31 years.

We are also glad he has accepted the Board of Education’s invitation to be our guest speaker at the 2020 graduation ceremonies for both Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools.

Mr. Parker’s retirement announcement nearly two months ahead of his departure gives us ample time to screen and interview candidates and appoint a successor within the 180-day limit state law allows. Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell is serving as interim between Mr. Parker’s Feb. 28 retirement date and the time when the new superintendent comes on board. In accordance with our past practices, a person who accepts the position of interim superintendent is not eligible to apply for the vacant position.

Our Board has enlisted the help of our longtime attorney, Woody Sanderson, to guide us through the search process. He has already assisted the Board in obtaining feedback from our stakeholders through an online survey, as well as public meetings about what they would like to see in our next superintendent.

The timetable adopted by the Board sets a March 23 application deadline. Applications go to Mr. Sanderson, and he will use the board’s criteria to narrow the application field to those who will be interviewed.

The Board plans to announce finalists at its April 9 meeting and hold interviews April 20-22 – and then April 28, if needed. The interview schedule will be announced publicly, and interviews will be streamed online for those unable to attend. There will also be opportunities for the public to meet the finalists before they are interviewed.

The Board plans to name a permanent superintendent at its regularly scheduled April 30 board meeting, with the intent that the new superintendent can start by June 1, 2020.

This is an exciting time for Madison City Schools, ranked second out of 137 public school systems in Alabama by most metrics. The Board is mindful of the high standards our community has for its education system and is earnestly searching for a superintendent who can lead our system to even greater heights.

YMCA More than fun and games

Mary Anne Swanstrom

Director of Communications Heart of the Valley YMCA

MMadison families can look forward to playing together even more this year at the YMCA.

The Hogan Family YMCA is continuing its popular Family Play Dates in 2020. Families do not have to be Y Members to participate, and the events are free.

“Within the Y, parents and children have opportunities to deepen their relationships, develop new interests and skills and improve their health and well-being,” said Daniel Kasambira, Hogan Family YMCA executive director. “By using our Y facilities to provide family events free to all, we are also helping families connect with their community and each other.”

The Hogan Family YMCA is offering a free family event for the community once every month in 2020. January boasted popcorn and a movie, while February offered the opportunity to decorate cookies and make Valentines for seniors. The schedule for the remainder of the year includes: March 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Family Board Games April 18, 9 a.m. to noon – Healthy Kids Day May 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – School’s Out for Summer Pizza and Pool Party

June 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Ice Cream Social July 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Family Luau (hot dogs and pool party)

Aug. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Concert Night/Talent Show

Sept. 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Military Night (write letters to soldiers) Oct. 10, 3-5 p.m. – Trunk or Treat Nov. 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Family Thanksgiving Night Dec. 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Cookies with Santa Families are encouraged to check ymcahuntsville.org and the Heart of the Valley YMCA Facebook Events page for information as it is posted.

Want to learn more about how families can become healthier and more connected through Y programs and membership? Call Hogan YMCA at 256-705-9622. The Y also offers financial assistance to ensure no one is turned away from a YMCA membership because of monetary reasons.

Mary Lynne Wright

President Madison Hospital

A mother’s gift

NNationally, about 95 percent of placentas are thrown into the trash as medical waste after a baby is born.

At Madison Hospital, moms who deliver by scheduled C-section now have the option of donating their placenta to help others.

We were the first hospital in North Alabama to partner with Birth Tissue International, which turns the innermost membrane of the placenta, called amnion, into treatments for people recovering from burns, wounds and major surgery. “When I learned about this program and all the amazing things that can be done using amnion, becoming involved was a no-brainer,” said Renee Colquitt, Madison Hospital director of Perinatal

Services. “The donated placentas can benefit people all over the U.S. who are struggling with wounds, burns, joint surgeries and eye problems. It is truly a gift for our parents to share.”

Birth Tissue International says small patches of amnion have been shown to reduce pain and speed up healing. The patches are applied directly to the affected body part.

A single placenta can yield as many as 250 therapeutic amnion patches.

A BTI representative packs the donated placentas on ice and ships them to a laboratory, where the amnion is removed, cleaned and tested. The company is registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Madison Mayor Paul Finley gave a glimpse into what is around the corner for the city at his State of the City Address during Connect 2020 on January 31. Held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Connect 2020 included the annual State of the City Address and gala event celebrating the past year and future of Madison. It was presented this year by Facebook and hosted by the Madison Chamber of Commerce. Next year, Connect 2021 will be held at the new Toyota Stadium in Town Madison. CONNECT 2020

PHOTOS BY JOHN FEW

1. Alli Schutzenhofer, Merrill Wright, Pamela Sparks and Felecia Rodgers

2. Mary Caudle, Vicki Woods Morris, Kim Caudle Lewis and Maike DeMaria.

3. Alice and Steve Lessmann

4. Ron and Maura Wroblewski 5. Scott Phillips

6. Travis Cummings, Greg Hulsey, Mayor Paul Finley, Robby Parker, Tim Holtcamp

7. Tommy and Debbie Overcash

8. Senator Tom and Karen Butler

9. Steve and Donna Haraway

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ENCOURAGING WORDS AT COLUMBIA

A dynamic group of teachers serve as the Encouraging Words team to boost morale of Columbia students by carrying poster boards with motivational phrases. About 20 teachers take turns each Friday holding the signs. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

1. Tonia Porter and Kaitlin Roland

2. Jessica Pinegar

3. Renee Graham

4. Karen Jump

5. Laura Hester 6. Shannon Triolo with students

7. Eliza Lemus

8. Vic Lakso

9. Amanda Riddle

10. Kim Pratt

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