New London – Cross Sound Ferry has become the latest donor to show its support for the National Coast Guard Museum, the first and only museum in the nation that will honor the achievements of those men and women who serve in the Coast Guard.

The company has pledged $100,000 toward the $100 million project that will be built in the downtown adjacent to Union Station. The National Coast Guard Museum has already passed the 25 percent mark of its fundraising goal, according to Pamela Fink, with Quinn & Hary, which is handling public relations for the museum association.

"We are proud to be a part of this historic transformation of New London's waterfront through our association with the National Coast Guard Museum," said Adam Wronowski, owner of Cross Sound Ferry. "A component of the overall NCGM project will be the construction of a new ferry terminal, which will share access with the museum. My family and I are ready to do our part in making this project come to fruition to the benefit of the entire region and state."

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has designated this summer as Connecticut's Coast Guard Summer 2015. The designation celebrates the Coast Guard's 225th birthday, the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Coast Guard Academy in New London and the proposed national museum. The museum is slated to open in the next three to five years.

The city is also home to Coast Guard Station New London, the Coast Guard Research and Development Center, the Marine Safety Lab and the International Ice Patrol.

New London will serve as the epicenter for many planned activities that are being held this summer. The city also became the first in the state and the 18th in the country to be recognized as a "Coast Guard City."

The state also has committed $20 million to the total $100 million project for a pedestrian bridge that will connect to the museum from Water Street.

"We are happy that the museum's closest neighbor is so supportive of the project," said Richard J. Grahn, president and CEO of the National Coast Guard Museum Association, Inc. "The support from Cross Sound Ferry brings us closer to preserving the history of the brave men and women of the United States Coast Guard."

The National Coast Guard Museum Association is engaged in a nationwide fundraising campaign. To learn more about the project or pledge support, visit www.coastguardmuseum.org.

i.larraneta@theday.com

Twitter: @larraneta