Final SeeShore Fest breaks $200K total

The annual SeeShore Fest took its final bow Aug. 23 at The Starboard in Dewey Beach, wrapping a decade of raising money and awareness for people experiencing vision loss and blindness.

“The day was emotional, because it was coming to an end, but happiness was definitely the strongest emotion,” said Heather Napolitano, who started the event with her family in 2015, a year after she was diagnosed with a rare condition called autoimmune retinopathy. “It was filled with family and friends, some whose visit was a total surprise.”

This year, the event racked up $35,000, with the grand total surpassing $200,000 over the past 10 years. The exact total was $201,220, with all of the proceeds directly benefiting the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Eye Institute in Philadelphia.

When Napolitano first started losing her vision, she and her husband, Dom, felt very alone and scared. Through SeeShore Fest, they’ve connected with other people experiencing similar struggles.

“Our community is the absolute best,” Heather said. 

One of her friends, Amy Jones, who’s traveled from Florida every year to attend the event, echoed how the event has created a special community.

The event featured four punch boards full of prizes ranging from $25 to $500, and the lines of people ready to punch got so long the board ran out of prizes. There was also a silent auction and kids’ games, which were led by Heather and Dom’s children, Laityn and Dax.

“It means a lot to me to be able to have this game to be able to help out, and it’s [been] really fun every year,” Laityn said.