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Visitors say ‘thanks’ for free admission on Army’s 237th birthday

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published June 14, 2012
Maj. Patrick Dagon (Right), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, meets Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam at the Nashville Sounds game June 14, 2012. The major threw out the first pitch in honor of the Army's birthday. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Maj. Patrick Dagon (Right), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, meets Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam at the Nashville Sounds game June 14, 2012. The major threw out the first pitch in honor of the Army's birthday. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Harold and Sandy Tucker enjoy a free afternoon at Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory, Tenn., with their nephews William Legon, 8, at left and Bubba Crawford, 9, June 14, 2012 on the Army’s 237th Birthday. Day use fees were waived at 22 areas in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District by Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, commander, in celebration of the Army’s rich heritage of defending our Nation and its citizens and to recognize local communities’ steadfast support of soldiers and families. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

Harold and Sandy Tucker enjoy a free afternoon at Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory, Tenn., with their nephews William Legon, 8, at left and Bubba Crawford, 9, June 14, 2012 on the Army’s 237th Birthday. Day use fees were waived at 22 areas in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District by Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, commander, in celebration of the Army’s rich heritage of defending our Nation and its citizens and to recognize local communities’ steadfast support of soldiers and families. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

Visitors enjoy a free day at Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory, Tenn., June 14, 2012 on the Army’s 237th Birthday. Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District waived day use fees at 22 areas in celebration of the Army’s rich heritage of defending our Nation and its citizens and to recognize local communities’ steadfast support of soldiers and families. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

Visitors enjoy a free day at Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory, Tenn., June 14, 2012 on the Army’s 237th Birthday. Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District waived day use fees at 22 areas in celebration of the Army’s rich heritage of defending our Nation and its citizens and to recognize local communities’ steadfast support of soldiers and families. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

From left in front: Jack Clark, 7, Wyatt Shepherd, 5, Luke Tucker, 7, Hallie Clark, 10, John Reed Clark, 3, and Cody Shepherd, 7; standing in rear from left: Lainey Clark, Joy Clark, Jane Bussell and Jana Shepherd enjoy a free day at the J. Percy Priest-Cook Recreation Area Beach June 14, 2012. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

From left in front: Jack Clark, 7, Wyatt Shepherd, 5, Luke Tucker, 7, Hallie Clark, 10, John Reed Clark, 3, and Cody Shepherd, 7; standing in rear from left: Lainey Clark, Joy Clark, Jane Bussell and Jana Shepherd enjoy a free day at the J. Percy Priest-Cook Recreation Area Beach June 14, 2012. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

From left, Michael Stanley, Becky Patterson, Marshaelle Higginbotham and Steven Houdashaell pause for a photo to say “Thank You and Happy 237th Birthday to the U.S. Army,” June 14, 2012 at J. Percy Priest-Cook Recreation Area Beach. Stanley, a veteran of the Illinois and Michigan Army National Guard, was visiting friends in the Nashville area while travelling from Virginia to Florida. He expressed his appreciation for free admission to a clean, uncrowded beach on the Army’s 237th Birthday. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

From left, Michael Stanley, Becky Patterson, Marshaelle Higginbotham and Steven Houdashaell pause for a photo to say “Thank You and Happy 237th Birthday to the U.S. Army,” June 14, 2012 at J. Percy Priest-Cook Recreation Area Beach. Stanley, a veteran of the Illinois and Michigan Army National Guard, was visiting friends in the Nashville area while travelling from Virginia to Florida. He expressed his appreciation for free admission to a clean, uncrowded beach on the Army’s 237th Birthday. (USACE photo by Fred Tucker)

Maj. Patrick Dagon poses with others who also threw first pitches and is standing in uniform next to Ozzie, the Sounds' mascot. (USACE photo by Lee Roberts)

Maj. Patrick Dagon poses with others who also threw first pitches and is standing in uniform next to Ozzie, the Sounds' mascot. (USACE photo by Lee Roberts)

Nashville, Tenn. (June 14, 2012) Visitors to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District day use areas expressed their appreciation for free admission today, the Army’s 237th birthday.

Normal fees at 22 day use areas were waived today by Lt. Col. James A. DeLapp, Nashville District commander, in celebration of the U.S. Army’s rich heritage of defending our Nation and its citizens and to recognize local communities’ steadfast support of soldiers and their families.

“This is really great--coming to a beautiful, clean, uncrowded beach on a hot summer day is always a treat and our free admission is an added bonus,” said Michael Stanley who was enjoying the water, sun and sand at the J. Percy Priest Lake Cook Recreation Area with a party of four. “Happy 237th Birthday to our Army!” he added.

Stanley, who had served in the Illinois and Michigan Army National Guard, was visiting friends in the Nashville area while traveling from Virginia to Florida.

“I suffered sticker shock when told the admission fee for four of us at one commercial beach in this area, and I would not use another free beach due to its lack of maintenance,” he said. “Paying Cook’s normal $4 day use fee would have been a pleasure.”

Another group of 10 ladies and children, local and from out-of-town, also expressed their appreciation for being able to use the Cook Recreation Area beach at no cost today.

Responses were similar from visitors at the Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory, Tenn., and other Nashville District recreational facilities stretching 430 river miles from Lake Cumberland in eastern Ky., to Lake Barkley in western Tennessee and Kentucky.

Also in celebration of the Army birthday, a contingent of Nashville District personnel attended the Nashville Sounds Triple A baseball game against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Greer Stadium.  Maj. Patrick Dagon, deputy commander, threw out the first pitch in honor of the Army’s 237th birthday.  The video of the major delivering the pitch is available on the Nashville District’s YouTube channel at http://youtu.be/bxmNSnMepJQ.

 

The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.