Marine Trades Association of New Jersey Establishes Recovery & Relief Fund

MANASQUAN, N.J. – On Thursday, December 13th, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) announced the establishment of its new Recovery & Relief Fund to provide aid to recreational marine businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The announcement was made at the MTA/NJ Annual Christmas Party held at the Spring Lake Manor and attended by 200 members.

In support of this new fund, Robert Staehle, Vice President ofBrunswick Parts & Accessories, Land ‘N’ Sea, Kellogg Marine, Diversified Marine presented the MTA/NJ with a $25,000check from Kellogg Marine which was collected as a joint effort by Bob’s Annual Turkey Fund, Brunswick Corp., Mercury Marine, Brunswick Boat Group, Kellogg Marine, and Land ‘N’ Sea.

“I am proud to lead an effort to help marine dealers recover from Hurricane Sandy and thankful for the Brunswick support of my fund. I started my Turkey Fund nine years ago to help feed the needy during the holidays and this year I felt a bigger effort was needed for hurricane relief,” stated Robert Staehle of Brunswick Corp. “People can still donate and directly help our own industry in this time of need.”

The Marine Trades Association of New Jersey Recovery & Relief Fund, a 501 (c) (3) corporation, was organized to provide relief and aid to recreational marine businesses in New Jersey that have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy and other national and local disasters. The MTA/NJ Recovery & Relief Fund will accept donations and contributions to the fund as well as conduct fundraising activities. All of the funds collected will be distributed directly to aid recreational marine businesses and individuals that have been adversely affected by Hurricane Sandy and other national and local disasters.

“We have been working hard to do everything we can to provide recovery assistance and support to our members that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. In the days following the storm, we quickly realized that there was a need to establish a new charitable organization to provide a means for funds to be distributed directly to aid recreational marine businesses,” stated MTA/NJ Executive Director, Melissa Danko. “It is our hope that this new fund will provide the many individuals and organizations that have contacted us offering their assistance with an opportunity to support their fellow marine businesses.”

Anyone wishing to make a donation can send a check payable to MTA/NJ Recovery & Relief Fund, located at 2516 Highway 35, Suite 201, Manasquan, NJ 08736. For additional information, please contact the MTA/NJ offices at 732-292-1051; email: info@mtanj.org.

About the MTA/NJ
The Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ), established in 1972, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, advancing and protecting the recreational marine industry and waterways in the State of New Jersey. The MTA/NJ is dedicated to the interests of the industry as a whole for the benefit of its individual members and the consumers whom they serve. The MTA/NJ produces two boat shows, the Jersey Shore Boat Sale & Expo held in September at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood and the New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo held in February at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison. The MTA/NJ proudly endorses the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show held in February.