SAVANNAH, Ga. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District will waive day-use fees for veterans, active and reserve component service members, and their families at Corps-operated recreation areas at lakes Hartwell and J. Strom Thurmond for Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 11 through Nov. 13.
Recreation areas at the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake are not Corps-managed. However, other agencies managing recreation areas on Corps lands are encouraged, but not required to offer the Veterans Day waiver of fees in areas they manage. The waiver does not apply to camping and camping-related services or fees for specialized facilities, such as picnic shelters.
The Corps began the “Fee Free on Veterans Day” initiative in 2006 to support and honor the men and women who have served our nation and the armed forces, and to encourage them and their families to visit and enjoy the Corps’ many recreation sites.
“We salute the service men and women and their families who have volunteered to serve our nation in the Armed Forces,” said Col. Jeff Hall, Savannah District commander. “We invite them to enjoy a weekend of family fun with free admission to our day-use recreation facilities. The Savannah District extended the waiver to include the entire Veterans Day weekend to provide more opportunities for military families and veterans to enjoy America’s great outdoors at no cost.”
The Army Corps of Engineers is the largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation in the nation. In fact, more than 16 million visit one of the Savannah District’s three lakes annually. Corps officials expect heavy visitation on the Veteran’s Day holiday.
Nationwide, the Corps operates more than 2,400 recreation areas that provide a diverse range of outdoor activities to people of all ages. The Corps estimates that 90 percent of its recreation projects are within 50 miles of metropolitan areas. To discover the Corps recreation site nearest you, please visit http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm