A ringtone sounds from Lewis Gasaway’s pocket. “I better check that,” he says and apologetically pulls out his phone. He told you that he enjoys people, telling stories, and staying busy. Well, here we go, because this is the life of Lewis.
His official job title: Caretaker of The Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds. His actual job duties: “Figuring things out.” This is why Lewis Gasaway’s phone randomly pings and rings throughout the day.
An irrigation line isn’t flowing properly? Call Lewis.
A golf cart needs to be fixed? Lewis will be right there.
A little while back, a group of six Reynolds Members intended to take evening pictures around the fire put at The Sporting Grounds. One problem: They didn’t have kindling or matches. “Hello, Lewis?” He didn’t have a match either, but within three minutes he’d somehow created a pit full of flames using only a dousing in ingenuity that would make an Eagle Scout envious.
Members know Lewis as the guy with the easy Georgia accent and low-key presence at The Sporting Grounds. But who do you think pressure washes the hard-to-reach spots on the bridges at The Oconee Course? Who formed the beautiful flagstone work around the ball washers?
“My goal,” Lewis says, “is to do whatever needs to be done and not leave any footprints.”
He is, however, leaving a legacy.
Lewis on Work
“I grew up as a middle child among 14 kids. We worked on a farm with the help of a mule and plow in Cobb County. That’s when I began to learn how to fix just about anything. There was no Lowe’s or Home Depot. Back in the 1960s and early 70s, Cobb County was something like this – woods and nature. You can blame our family for helping turn it into a suburb because we poured all the original street curbs there.”
Lewis on landing a Dream Job
“Mr. Mercer [Reynolds] asked me to work here full-time in 1999. It seemed like a lot of responsibility, so I asked a friend, Don Chandler, who had recently retired, what he thought. Don was as much an outdoorsman as me, but he was also very practical, so I respected his opinions. He said, ‘I never had an opportunity like that. You don’t want to look back someday and wish you’d done it.’ I still think about those conversations.”
Lewis on Mowing Grass
“I call the lawn at The Sporting Grounds my ‘oasis.’ Mowing is a fraction of my job, but still… it seems like as soon as I finish mowing, I have to turn around and do it all over again.”
Lewis on Home
“My house is just inside the gate [to the grounds]. It’s three stories high with a crow’s nest, but you can’t see it when you drive in. At the end of the day, I can sit, recharge my batteries, and take in all the beauty that surrounds me. Being so close to the grounds is of course an added bonus.”
Lewis on the Secrets of the Land
“I’ve explored this land like a bird dog, and was probably the first person to come across old wells. I was here when Range Rover had a private month-long event, so I saw prototypes before anyone in the world saw them. But most impressive to me is seeing how much work goes into each event. I’m a hard worker, but those events take more determination and teamwork than anyone can imagine.”
Lewis on Prepping for the President
“President George W. Bush came here to get away in total privacy and to walk the 3-mile loop around the pond. It was such an honor to be able to prepare the grounds for his visit. I wasn’t able to meet the President in person, but felt blessed to have been even a small part of his experience.”
Lewis on Shotguns vs. Archery
“There’s a lot of wildlife around here, but I never plunder. If I decide to take an animal for food or to help the ecosystem, I’d prefer to do it with a bow. It’s rewarding to use a string and stick. My greatest enjoyment, though, is observing an animal come within a few yards. Watching, not shooting. That’s how you become a good hunter.”
Lewis on Peaceful Living
“We all have a purpose. Mine is to keep people calm during little storms that come up. It’s the most important thing I’ve ever figured out, and I get to do it every day.”
