Dine On Us
The commissioning of a navy vessel is one of the most sacred events in a ship’s history. It officially marks the entry of the ship into the fleet, making it a commissioned and active warship. The order “Man the ship and bring her to life” signifies this entry.
The week surrounding the commissioning is also very special for the crew, who have worked diligently to build the sub, and will man it to serve our country. It will be full of events, activities, and treats that will honor these “plankowners.” With that in mind, we are pleased to recognize our partnership with Dine On Us – a NJ based non-profit who will be coordinating “New Jersey” themed breakfast and evening snacks.
Dine on Us has a simple mission – “to create dining and entertainment opportunities for our NJ active military who are not able to do so for themselves due to economic hardships while stationed here in NJ.” When they heard of the opportunity to provide services for the crew of the USS NEW JERSEY – they jumped on it.
Cliff Baker, Dine on Us Founder and USN Veteran, added these thoughts: “While serving in the US Navy aboard the W.S. Sims, I experienced the importance of a random act of kindness, a hot meal from an unknown couple in France. That meal carried me through a severe tragedy while patrolling the Mediterranean Ocean. This opportunity to give back to our sailors is the purpose God planned for me so many years ago. Our gesture is the story and memory the crew of the USS New Jersey will remember as they travel many miles under the sea and get them through the challenges they will face!”
A great story. To learn more about Dine on Us, please visit their website – https://www.dineonus.org
And a thank you goes, in advance, to all of the local restaurants and businesses that will contribute to this endeavor. We’re convinced that these “snacks” will put a smile on the sailor’s faces (Pork Roll or Taylor Ham??) and provide them with fine memories of the state of New Jersey.
From the committee: For those that want to support the crew – please further explore our website. Support can be made through monetary donations or through purchases from our ship’s store – either way is available through our site. We have set our budget so that every dollar generated going forward will go directly to supporting the crew, as detailed before.