Congressional Record – Extensions of Remarks, June 7, 2016

RECOGNIZING THE BLUE SKY FOUNDATION
HON. LAMAR SMITH OF TEXAS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the Blue Sky Foundation and their President and Executive Director, Dick Stockton, on behalf of the work they are doing for our nation’s veterans and service members. Drawing on his background in tennis, Mr. Stockton started a program within the Blue Sky Foundation called Thanking our Troops through Tennis or ‘‘T3’’. The idea behind the program was to thank the members of the United States Military and their families for the sacrifices they make on a daily basis, using the game of tennis as the vehicle to do so. Blue Sky has been taking the T3 program to various military bases over the last four years and has offered free tennis clinics to active personnel, spouses, children, Veterans and Wounded Warriors. The program has been well received, averaging 100 participants per event. Since July of 2013, Blue Sky Foundation has hosted seventeen events at different bases around the country, including Andrews Air Force Base, Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, Camp Lejeune, Randolph Air Force Base and Fort Jackson, among others. It has been a successful program and has the ability to continue to grow and benefit many more members of the military and their families. In appreciation of all they have done, Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking them for their efforts.