When the battle monument you support costs $10,000 a day to maintain, you need to be creative when it comes to fund raising.
Such is the case with the Battleship New Jersey, America’s most decorated battleship.
The cost to keep this floating museum on the Camden Waterfront ahead of the wear and tear of age, weather, seawater and other challenges rings up a bill of about $10,000 per day.
The latest fund-raising idea from Battleship New Jersey CEO Marshall Spevak and his team is their first-ever Sporting Clay Invitational on Thursday, June 26.
“This was an idea I was really excited to bring to life,” said Spevak. “It’s not every day you get to host a sporting clay shoot on the deck of a battleship. We wanted to create a memorable experience that also helps secure the future of this national treasure.”
The tournament will feature team and individual sporting clay shooting competitions, followed by an evening of live music, cocktails, dinner, and an awards ceremony on the fantail.
Sponsorship opportunities and individual registration are now open.
The Battleship New Jersey team hopes this inaugural event will become an annual signature tradition for supporters across the region.
This goal of this unique fundraiser is to raise revenue for the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
The funds raised will support ongoing preservation efforts of the ship, and support its educational programming, which predominantly focuses on preserving naval history and telling the inspiring story of the ship through its decades of service to the nation.
The New Jersey served in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Lebanese Civil War and also saw action in the Persian Gulf until it was retired in 1991.
The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial opens every day from 10 am to 4 pm.
For more information about the clay shooting tournament or the Battleship New Jersey, visit battleshipnewjersey.org.
