BATON ROUGE, La. — Struggling to stay afloat financially, the USS Kidd has embarked on a fundraising effort selling what officials describe as "unique war bonds" to the public.
Executive Director Alex Juan tells The Advocate the Louisiana Naval War Memorial, which includes the World War II-era destroyer ship USS Kidd, is at no risk of closing. She says the funds are needed to address some overdue maintenance issues and to fund recently added programs that have increased foot traffic.
The fundraising drive comes after the museum's finances were questioned last year by auditors, who said it owed the state $334,000 for unpaid insurance premiums. The state Inspector General's Office released an investigation last month that found the former executive director, Maury Drummond, misspent thousands of dollars in public funds on meals and travel.
Juan, who has been director since 2013, said she has only recently been able to turn her attention to fundraising, after a year of answering auditors' questions and struggling to maintain the public's trust — and donations.
"It's a perfect time for all of this to come together," Juan said. September will be the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The commemorative "war bonds" — a nod to those sold in the 1940s to finance World War II — are on sale in the museum's gift shop in denominations of $25, $50, $100 and $200.
She said it costs about $60,000 a month to operate the museum, which hosts lectures and other public events, plus programs including yoga and art therapy for veterans. The museum is a state agency, overseen by the Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission, but functions as a nonprofit entity dependent on donations and proceeds from admissions and the gift shop.
Meanwhile, the museum faces an "urgent need for money," Juan said. Funds designated for specific exhibits or projects cannot be used for any other purpose, sometimes leaving the Kidd stretched thin when it comes to operating costs and maintenance.
The museum's 29-year-old building needs a new air conditioning unit and roof, Juan said, which together would cost at least $350,000. The air conditioner is "on its last leg," and a thunderstorm in April damaged part of the roof, she said.
