(JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 23) --The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District celebrated Corps Day on Friday, June 23 at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds. The annual event celebrates employees’ accomplishments and achievements over the past year and hosted hundreds of families, friends, and special guests. This year’s theme was “Game Day,” and the crowd was adorned with sports apparel from their favorite teams.
Jacksonville District Commander Col. James Booth and Deputy District Commander Lt. Col. Matthew Miller were the masters of ceremony for the day’s events. Before the awards ceremony began, Booth paid tribute and honored David McConnell and Tina Smith, two JaxStrong family employees that passed away earlier this year with a moment of silence in their memory.
Booth eagerly acknowledged the district’s accomplishments stating, “Jacksonville has a tremendous pool of talent and are proven champions.”
He highlighted the district’s contributions in collaborative projects, deployments, and relief efforts for Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole, ribbon-cutting events, partnership signings, and several restoration programs.
Booth noted that “people are our greatest investment,” as he presented the length-of-service awards, with the longest-tenured employees honored that day being 45 years of federal service. He presented honorary awards, national-level awards, and Jacksonville District awards to teams and individuals in the region - including South Florida and the Antilles offices.
He also welcomed 112 new personnel hired to the JaxStrong team.
Following the awards ceremony, the fun and games began - including a bake sale, corn hole tournament, pie in the face fundraiser, corps merchandise sale, food trucks, and car show. Attendee April Canada, legal assistant for the Jacksonville District, was appreciative of the annual day.
“It’s great to get out of the office and bring family and friends to the event," said Canada. "With the increase in telework schedules, this was the first time for many to celebrate as a group," she added.
Another attendee, Eunice Porter, equal employment opportunities specialist, acknowledged the planning committees. “It’s rewarding to see the dedication of our volunteers’ efforts to ensure a successful event, and build comradery throughout the agency," said Porter.
Despite a rainy start to the day, the skies cleared for the latter part of Jacksonville District’s Corps Day 2023. With over 500 participants, including virtual attendees, Corps Day was a success, promoting people first and honoring JaxStrong’s team of engineers, scientists, stewards, civil servants, and hidden heroes.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District on the district’s website at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JaxStrong.