Fincantieri Marine Repair donates to military non-profits

Fincantieri Marine Repair recently supported the Jacksonville Naval Museum by providing a specialized crane and volunteering a team of its U.S. veteran employees to help lift a historic QH-50 Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH) aboard the flight deck of its retired warship, USS Orleck (DD 886).

At a time when many companies are cutting back on expenses in preparation for a coming recession, Jacksonville, Fla., based Fincantieri Marine Repair is doubling down on its support of U.S. military non-profits, including to the Jacksonville Naval Museum and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

For the Jacksonville Naval Museum, Fincantieri Marine Repair is now serving as a Hangar Sponsor, a role that will see the ship repairer provide $50,000 in funding over several years to provide necessary renovations and upgrades to the museum’s retired warship USS Orleck (DD 886).

Fincantieri also recently supported the museum by providing a specialized crane and volunteering a team of its U.S. veteran employees to help lift a historic QH-50 Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), weighing approximately 1,154 lb, aboard the USS Orleck’s flight deck at no cost to the non-profit.

In response to the sponsorship and ongoing support, the Jacksonville Naval Museum will dedicate its renovated hangar to the company upon completion of the work.

For the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a congressionally chartered U.S. war veterans organization, Fincantieri Marine Repair donated a dozen desktop computers with new hard drives after the non-profit experienced funding difficulties.

Military Order of the Purple Heart employees are now utilizing the computers from their headquarters in Springfield, Va., to process veteran benefits, scholarships, membership applications and reports more efficiently.

“Fincantieri proudly supports our country’s armed forces through patronage and donation. Supporting those who earned Purple Hearts while in service is in direct line with our values, as is contributing to our local naval museum to educate and inspire future generation,” said Fincantieri Marine Repair’s CEO Ryan W. Smith. “Fincantieri recognizes that supporting worthy local and national organizations ultimately helps our community, employees and customers in the long run.”

“Every dollar we receive helps bring the ship to life and allows us to provide a first-class experience,” said Jacksonville Naval Museum President Daniel K. Bean. “We are deeply appreciative of Fincantieri’s support. We wouldn’t have been able to position the DASH aboard the USS Orleck without Fincantieri’s crane or incurring significant cost. This 1960s-era DASH is one of only 20 such helicopters in the world, and its position aboard the USS Orleck significantly increases the historical value of our museum. Thank you, Fincantieri, for your invaluable efforts.”

“Fincanteri’s support is tremendous. The key value is knowing that there are companies out there willing to support veterans get the services and benefits they deserve,” said Military Order of the Purple Heart’s Carder Ferguson, national senior vice commander. “Without this aid we wouldn’t be able to fulfill our mission of caring for America’s combat wounded veterans.”

Fincantieri Marine Repair (FMR), a subsidiary of Fincantieri Marine Systems North America operates from its shipyard on the St. Johns River, in downtown Jacksonville, offering a full range of marine repair services to meet customer needs, whether planned or emergency. FMR services cruise ships, yachts, tankers, workboats, barges, commercial, and military vessels. FMR also supports the U.S. Navy from its Mayport Naval Station on-base facility.