Portland Division, like any Sea Cadet unit, requires financial assistance to operate successfully. While the cadets pay an annual enrollment/membership fee to our National Headquarters of $51, the remaining $99 one-time enrollment fee is used in outfitting the cadets with the numerous uniforms that they will be required to wear throughout the year. This will include utilities (our standard working uniform), dress blues (also referred to as crackerjacks), dress whites, summer whites, working blues, coveralls and perhaps even the "salt and pepper" uniform (for Leaguers). The only uniform we will not usually provide is the Battle Dress Uniform, also referred to as BDU's. That expense falls to the parents/sponsors. Now, add in all of the incidental uniform items, such as a sea bag, neckerchief, rain coat, pea coat, white hat, watch cap, utility jacket, etc. etc., and things really add up!
Also remember that cadets are usually growing like weeds, and will outgrow their uniforms on a yearly basis. And this is per cadet. Now add in the cost of drill rifles, color guard equipment, administrative supplies, etc. As you can see, we try to accomplish a lot with a small amount of financial resources.
Portland Division receives no financial aid from our National Headquarters. What National does do for us is offset the cost of providing national training to the cadets. For example, the cost of attending a two-week recruit training this past summer was $150, total. That includes all meals, transportation to and from the airport, boarding, etc. All the parents/sponsors were required to provide for was the transportation to and from the training site. And this same price applied to almost all of the hundreds of training opportunities offered this past year! So, with that in mind, lets move on to our primary funding sources, sponsors.
Our primary sponsor is the Portland Council of the Navy League of the United States. Several of our staff are board members of that council, and we work together to ensure the maximum successful training opportunities exist for the cadets. In return, our cadets provide color and honor guard services to Navy League-sponsored events, such as the Navy Birthday Ball, Coast Guard summer picnic, Veteran's Day dinner, etc.
Portland Division is not large enough to have our own tax exempt 501-C3 number, but we are allowed to use the tax exempt number of the Navy League as our sponsor. This means that cash donations to the Portland Division can be made to us, via the Portland Council of the Navy League, and still be tax deductible. For example, a check would be made out to the Portland Council, but would list Sea Cadets in the memo field. The Navy League would then forward the donation to us.
Many Sea Cadet units have more than one sponsor, some have dozens! Sponsorship can be something as small as a yearly stipend or grant to help cover the expenses for a cadet to attend a training, to a continuing monthly payment. Any and all would be welcome.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Portland Division, or would like to make a tax-deductible donation to our unit, please contact our financial officer, Inst. Matt Geddes via E-mail at sabassbone03@netzero.com or phone at (360) 281-5921.