CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

9/11 Day brings out veterans, first responders for round of golf

Muskogee Phoenix - 9/15/2021

Sep. 15—Muskogee veterans Bob Watts and Steve Watson made up a good golf team Tuesday, even though Watson uses a walker.

"He's putting for me," said Watts, a retired U.S. Marines lieutenant colonel. "We're just teaming up. It's my job to try and drive it there, and it's his job to put it in the hole."

Watts and Watson joined dozens of veterans and first responders who enjoyed free golf and free lunch during 9/11 Day, held Tuesday at Muskogee Golf Club.

Muskogee Golf Club event coordinator Martha Dixon said the club has hosted the 9/11 Day for five years.

"It's a great benefit for to honor our first responders, veterans and active duty members," she said. "It's awesome. We do it every year. We get donations, we feed them for free, let them golf."

Sponsors included Servpro, Firstar Bank, American Bank of Oklahoma, BKB Heating & Air, Charles Lamont, and BancFirst Insurance Services.

Servpro offered golf tees, Koozies, and other items from their table in the Muskogee Golf Club lobby.

"We've always supported first responders. This is a way of giving back to them," said Jeff Mueller, who does marketing for Servpro. "They can come out, have a day off, enjoy themselves, take the stress out of their life for one day."

He said the free golf and lunch is for any first responder, including ambulance, fire, police, or sheriff. Veterans also were treated.

"Tahlequah Fire has been here. Muskogee Fire, retired," Mueller said.

Four Tahlequah firefighters teamed up on Tuesday.

"We really appreciate the Muskogee country club doing this every year," Tahlequah Fire Chief Casey Baker said. "We look forward to it every year and hopefully we can always remember Sept. 11 and what the firefighters sacrificed that day, and the first responders."

Baker said Tahlequah firefighters have come out since the club first offered the free golf day.

Watson and Watts appreciated playing for free, each at his own level of expertise.

Watson, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, said he used to play golf often and liked being able to play.

Watts, however, said, "I'm just learning, so it gave me an opportunity to experience golf."

___

(c)2021 the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.)

Visit the Muskogee Phoenix (Muskogee, Okla.) at muskogeephoenix.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.