By CAROL COMEGNO
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN
All visitors who tour the Battleship New Jersey Memorial and Museum this weekend will be helping the families of three firemen who died July 4 in a Gloucester City fire.
The waterfront museum, operated by the nonprofit Home Port Alliance, is donating $1 from each ticket to a fund for the families of two Mount Ephraim fire officials and a Gloucester City fireman, said museum operating officer Troy Collins.
In addition, the Marlton law firm of Parker, McCay and Criscuolowill match every dollar the battleship museum donates. Philip Norcross, the firm's chief executive officer, is an Alliance board member. Norcross said he and his firm believe in giving back to the communities they serve.
Since the museum generally attracts more than 1,000 visitors daily on Saturday and Sunday, museum officials are hoping the donation will total several thousand dollars.
"We would like to support the families of those brave firefighters lost in the tragic incident. We have the vehicle to (do it) and look forward to being able to support those in need," Collins said.
Mount Ephraim Fire Chief James Sylvester, Deputy Chief John D. West and Gloucester City firefighter Thomas G. Stewart III were killed when the roof of a burning home collapsed on them and three young girls who lived there. All six were killed.
The money raised will be placed into a memorial fund at Commerce Bank that has been set up to aid the firefighters' families, Norcross said.
If you go
The ship is on the Camden waterfront behind the Tweeter Center. For more information, call(856) 966-1652. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, children under 12 and military veterans. Admission is free to active duty military in uniform and former USS New Jersey crew members.
