Park ranger Whitaker receives award
Marion Reservoir Park Ranger Neal Whitaker has been named Customer Care Employee of the Year by the Tulsa District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Col. Robert Suthard, commander of the Tulsa District, presented the award at a ceremony in June.
Whitaker, his wife Cathy, and their children Megan, Katie, and Annie attended the awards ceremony held in Tulsa, Okla.
Whitaker was honored for "going the extra mile" in providing service.
In particular, he was recognized for his work with the 2001 deer hunt for people with disabilities.
The hunt, held during the two-week muzzleloader season in September, takes place on the goose refuge, which normally is closed to hunting. Up to eight hunters, all with physical disabilities, were taken to temporary and permanent blinds in the refuge. They could enjoy up to 45 hours of hunting during the two-week season.
Whitaker has 17 years of federal service, including 11 at the reservoir.
Marion Reservoir is a popular site, recording 291,000 recreational visits and $145,000 in recreational fees in 2001 alone.
Economic studies suggest reservoir visitors spent about $4.41 million in central Kansas.
In addition to Whitaker's award plaque, his photo will be displayed on the Awards Board in the lobby of the district headquarters building in Tulsa.
