CROMWELL, Conn. — Travelers Championship play officially kicked off bright and early Thursday. For the rest of the week, hundreds of thousands of fans will come out to TPC River Highlands to see all the action, but there are certain groups of fans that are being recognized at the tournament for their service to our country and our community.
“It’s a great thing for us military to be able to come out to these places,” said Frank Holleran, an Army Air Veteran.
The American Flag proudly waved outside the red white and blue Patriots Outpost tent, welcoming veterans and active military members.
“I’m a Vietnam veteran, so it’s good to know that people care about what we did. When guys came back there wasn’t any of this treatment, Vietnam vets were rejected,” said Bob Westendorff, a Navy veteran.
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As a thank you to those who served our country, the Travelers Championship provides free tickets to the military and some family members every day during the tournament.
“They can come in here and get beverages and lunch and they can sit and watch the golf,” said Glenn Murray, co-chair of Patriots Outpost and a veteran himself.
“It’s fantastic, it’s a great program, gets vets out of the house and gets them a little exercise. It’s good,” said Holleran.
For the veterans, they get a close look at some of the best players in golf, but it's also a chance to connect with each other and meet new friends.
“There’s a bond, we all stick together and help each other,” said James Woodworth, an Army veteran.
“We’re all brothers and sisters to us, we all serve together it’s just a great bunch of veterans,” said Holleran.
For the Vietnam veterans especially, the sign of appreciation goes a long way and they’re grateful to see that their sacrifices mean so much to the community.
“I was in the Vietnam war, it was a war nobody liked, now it’s much more accepting and we’re getting a lot more getting a lot more respect,” said John McCall, an Army veteran.
“It makes us feel alive again instead of being put down all the time so it’s really nice,” said Holleran.
In addition to the military programs this year, health care workers and first responders also can get into the Travelers Championship for free.
Veterans can click here for information on how to redeem their tickets.
Health care workers can click here for information on how to redeem their tickets.
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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