PERSPECTIVE May 30, 2025
Farm Bureau, GRDA team up to provide life jackets for Illinois River float season klahoma Farm Bureau, Cherokee County Farm Bureau and the Grand River Dam Authority recently purchased more than 200 life jackets for the public to use free of charge during the 2025 recreation season on the Illinois River. The coalition, along with the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce, worked to update the loaner jacket program along the popular Illinois River corridor in Cherokee County to provide the quality flotation devices to help prevent accidental drownings as the summer recreation season begins. The life jackets were delivered to
the GRDA Scenic Rivers Operations headquarters near Tahlequah Thursday, May 15, with representatives from Cherokee County Farm Bureau, GRDA and the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce on hand to unload the safety equipment and begin the process of distributing the loaner life jackets at stations along the river. “We are excited every season to see so many people come out and float the Illinois River,” said Jared Skaggs, supervisor of scenic rivers and public access areas for GRDA. “It’s a really popular destination, and we’re happy
to see so many families come out and friends come out. Ultimately, our top priority is to make sure people are safe on the river.” The new jackets are trimmed in bright orange to improve visibility on the river and are sized to ensure outdoor recreationists of all sizes have a life jacket that fits properly. A whistle is attached to each jacket in case of an emergency situation, and the jackets are each adorned with Farm Bureau and GRDA logos.
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