SHREVEPORT, La. — Viewers who tuned in over the past week may have heard Meteorologist Patrick Dennis reference a local non-profit group called Cover 6 Outdoors-Bayou Edition.
The organization is the official non-profit partner for this summer's charity initiative with Dillas Quesadillas. The local restaurant group will donate $100 to the organization every time the area temperature reaches 100 degrees.
While Cover 6 Outdoors normally focuses on taking military veterans into the great outdoors, the group shifted its focus this weekend to active-duty personnel. The organization launched a special event called Operation Dorm to Dock to introduce young airmen stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base to the unique waters of Caddo Lake.
Organizers designed the initiative to promote wellness and connect airmen with the local community during their first official military assignments. Many of the young service members living in the base dormitories do not own vehicles, leaving them with limited opportunities to explore the surrounding region.
Local boat captains and retired military veterans volunteered their time and equipment to serve as guides for the day. One volunteer, a retired United States Air Force Master Sergeant with 24 years of service, noted that the event provides an ideal way for local boat owners to give back to the next generation of military personnel.
For many of the participating airmen, the trip offered a series of first-time experiences.
One participant, who originally enlisted out of Texas after moving from Vietnam, remarked that previous fishing experiences only involved a bamboo stick. The trip marked a major upgrade in equipment and technique.
Another airman from California expressed amazement at the unique geography of Caddo Lake. Having only seen giant sequoia trees on land, the service member noted the surprise of seeing massive cypress trees growing directly out of the water.
The airmen also received a quick lesson in local freshwater biology. Boat captains introduced the visitors to catching crappie, prompting a humorous lesson on the many regional names for the species, including white perch, speckled perch, and sac-a-lait.
Volunteer boat captains expressed gratitude for the opportunity to interact with the airmen, thanking them for their active service while sharing a day on the water.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.