The Battleship New Jersey and Camden County Freeholder Board will offer active military personnel from Joint Base — McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Dover Air Force Base a full-course turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.
“We feel that offering these brave men and women a hot Thanksgiving meal with all of the trimmings is the very least we can do to express our gratitude for their service to our country,” said Freeholder Ed McDonnell, liaison to Camden County’s Office of Veterans Affairs. “Their faithful duty to our nation makes us all truly thankful for these heroes on this holiday.”
The meal will be prepared by Andreotti’s Catering and served by volunteers from the Battleship at approximately 11:30 a.m. The troops will arrive at approximately 10:30 a.m. A brief welcoming ceremony will take place on the fantail before dinner is served.
Residents are invited to welcome and cheer on heroes from the pier of the Battleship, which will be open for guests at 10 a.m. Free parking is available in lot №1, across from the Susquehanna Bank Center. Entertainment and refreshments will be available for guests on the pier.
“Many of these brave men and women are hundreds and thousands of miles away from their family on Thanksgiving in service to our nation,” McDonnell said. “So creating a festive atmosphere with food, football and compatriots on the most decorated battleship in naval history is the right thing to do in order to build a home away from home for our men and women in uniform.”
Berthed on the Camden Waterfront across the Delaware River from Center City Philadelphia, the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial is a non-profit historic ship museum that offers tours Saturdays and Sundays, as well as a few special weekdays, through December. Consult the Battleship’s website for a schedule. The Battleship also offers overnight encampments for youth groups and families, special group and student tours and event rentals with a full catering menu. For more information on the ship’s many programs, visit www.battleshipnewjersey.org.
