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BATTLESHIP'S FUNDRAISER WAS A REAL BLAST!
CAMDEN, NJ – July 5 – The 8th Annual Battleship Blast, presented by Susquehanna Bank, which took place on the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial on Saturday evening, July 3, was an explosive success!
“For the second year, we opened the Battleship’s decks to the public and it resulted in our largest crowd and our most profitable Blast fundraiser to date,” commented Jim Schuck, Acting President and CEO of the Battleship New Jersey. “Over a 1,200 people enjoyed live music, entertainment, the best view of the fireworks display over the Delaware River and they once again saw the 5-inch gun fired to close the fireworks show.”
The ship’s 5-inch portside gun was fired by Battleship Volunteer Rich Thrash, who bid $500 for the chance to end the fireworks with a bang! “It was a privilege to pull the trigger and fire the gun to end the fireworks,” said Thrash, from Fairfax, VA, who volunteers on the ship’s Brass team.
The Battleship offered partners an exclusive dinner (Surf n Turf BBQ) on the ship’s fantail and VIP viewing of the fireworks, but also allowed families to come aboard the ship’s forecastle (forward deck) to watch the fireworks from this unique vantage point. All guests were also treated to live music by the Hypersonics, who performed atop Turret 1, and The Change, a jazz ensemble of high school students from throughout the Delaware Valley, who performed on the Battleship’s Pier. Other activities included Philadelphia Zoo on Wheels, face painting, the Warbird Pin-up Girls, and Hammerhead from the Camden Riversharks. Food and beverage concessions were also available for the throng.
Partners for this year’s Blast included Presenting-sponsor Susquehanna Bank; Blue Benefactor sponsors Aramark, Bowman & Company LLP, Camden County Board of Freeholders, Food Circus Super Markets, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com. Red Patron sponsors included Cleaned-Rite Janitorial, the Courier Post, EPS Corporation, Pennsylvania Real Estate Trust, Pepsi, South Jersey Port Corporation, Upcomingevents.com, and Urban Engineers. Blue Patron sponsors were Adventure Aquarium, AECOM, Ballard Spahr, Delaware Valley Port Authority, Dietz & Watson, Garden State Dust Control, Parker McCay PA, Southern New Jersey AFL-CIO, S.T. Hudson Engineers Inc., TD Bank, and United Building Trades Council of Southern New Jersey.
The USS New Jersey, constructed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, was commissioned into the US Navy in May 1943, and participated in operations in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Beirut Crisis and the first Person Gulf War. Its 19 Battle Stars makes the New Jersey the most decorated battleship in our nation’s history. Over 55,000 naval veterans once referred to the USS New Jersey as home.
Today, the Battleship New Jersey is opened to the public as a floating museum on the Delaware River, along the Camden Waterfront. A signature attraction to veterans, patriots, students and families from around the world, the Battleship New Jersey has already undergone massive restoration efforts. She brings history to life for visitors during daily guided tours through the Iowa-class ship, one of the largest battleships ever built – seeing the Admiral's quarters, the officers and crew’s mess, the crew’s quarters, the communications center and more, throughout the ship's massive nine decks.
The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial offers guided and self-guided tours daily, beginning at 9:30 am with the last tour departing at 5pm. Spend the night aboard the Battleship as part of the Overnight Encampment program. Guests experience dinner and lunch from the crew’s mess, a tour of the ship, a ride on the 4D flight simulator and the opportunity to sleep in the bunks that the crew of the USS New Jersey once did. Also, special group packages and event/meeting space are available. Now guests in Philadelphia can take the Waterfront Connection Shuttle from Independence Visitor Center to the Battleship for only $2 round trip! The shuttle runs daily beginning at 10:30 am with the last shuttle back to Philly at 6 pm. In New Jersey, take NJ Transit’s River Line to the Battleship. Visit www.riverline.com for a schedule and more information. For more information on the , call 856-966-1652 or visit the Battleship at www.battleshipnewjersey.org.
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