Broadway at the Beach partners with military organization to support the troops

Broadway at the Beach will spend the summer supporting the military as part of its Great American Summer Nights series.

The entertainment complex is partnering with Blue Star Mothers, an organization comprised of female guardians who have children serving in the military, to provide monetary and emotional support to troops both domestic and abroad.

“We feel it’s a good opportunity for visitors to show their patriotism and also offer those words of encouragement and thanks to our military troops,” Broadway at the Beach General Manager Jim Powalie said. “Everybody is proud to be an American and this is just an opportunity for them to show that and we feel like it’s a good theme for this year’s entertainment series.”

Broadway will donate any loose change that is tossed into the facilities’ three fountains throughout the summer, while also offering patriotic souvenir bracelets for a $1 donation at its guest services center. Guests are encouraged to submit drawings or letters that will be sent to the troops in care packages.

Sharon Russell, with Blue Star Mothers, said Broadway’s contribution will fund the postage needed to ship the nearly 1,000 care packages the organization sends annually.

“This partnership is just amazing for us,” Russell said. “We’re so grateful to them for what they are doing.”

Along with playing patriotic music all summer, Broadway at the Beach will team up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves to host a Toys for Tots toy drive throughout July. Guests can bring a new, unwrapped toy to guest services.toy drive.

This story was originally published June 21, 2019 at 5:20 PM.