U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District employees gathered at Louisville Slugger Field Sept. 26, 2021 to recognize and celebrate the hard work by district employees over the past year.
The cloudless sky provided perfect weather for event attendees as employees and their families watched one of America’s favorite pastimes at Louisville Slugger Field.
Louisville District Commander Col. Eric Crispino, threw out the first pitch of the game. Even though the Bats lost the game to the Toledo Mud Hens (9-4), the event was successful in more ways than one.
Park rangers Cole Upton and Kaitlin Cook from Green River Lake, and Jacob Kramer from Buckhorn Lake, staffed a water safety booth where they shared the water safety message with hundreds of fans as part of the event. Upton, who served as the Bobber the Water Safety Dog mascot, handed out water safety giveaways and countless high-fives to young fans.
“Being at the Bats game was a huge success. Hundreds of contacts were made answering questions of what the Corps of Engineers does and why we do it, giving kids a chance to interact with a beloved mascot, and to help spread the message of water safety into their daily lives,” said Upton.
Cook agreed with her fellow ranger co-worker that the day was a resounding success for guests and families.
"It was a great day. We, as rangers, had a lot of fun working the event. The kids had a blast interacting with Bobber,” said Cook.
Attending these events is important for several reasons, according to the rangers.
“Being at the Bats game gave members of the public that don’t normally interact with Corps employees a chance to learn about what we do, why we do it, and about recreational activities that are available,” said Upton.
Rangers often serve as the face of the Corps by interacting with the public at numerous outreach events throughout the year. For some, this is a staple in being part of the USACE Louisville District team.
“I'm grateful to be involved in an organization that has such a focus on community outreach,” said Cook.