In its first four years, the conference raised and donated more than $50,000 to research efforts in mitochondrial disease. Seaglass 2010 now has a new charitable focus: Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children. Mitochondrial disease is a progressive and incurable disease which has been clinically connected to autism, stroke, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, diabetes and numerous other illnesses.

“Obviously, the research is crucial,” says conference founder and guild Executive Director Maribeth Fischer, “but we wanted to do something that would more directly impact the families and children who are currently living with this disease.”

Fischer, who lost two young nephews to mitochondrial disease, felt confident that the decision to work with Nemours was the right one. There are numerous uninsured costs associated with this disease, and with a fund to defray those costs, children who might otherwise need to remain in the hospital are often able to return home.

The authors - who include John McCain’s literary agent, Oprah book club writers and Pulitzer prize nominees, to name just a few of the more than 30 committed to the 2010 event - donate their time and energy to make Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass a huge success, Fischer says.

“We hope this will inspire our sponsors, as well,” says Meg Ellacott, president of Ellacott Productions LLC, which manages events and conferences, who has volunteered her services to Writers at the Beach. Sponsors ask why they should donate to the conference when they could just as easily donate directly to Nemours.

Registration for the conference opens in December and costs $215 for three days of educational sessions and hands-on workshops. More information about the conference, sponsorships, mitochondrial disease and the Nemours Foundation aris available at writersatthebeach.com. Interested partners and sponsors can contact Ellacott at meg@ellashow.com