Surfgimp Foundation’s Winter Beach Bash raises $57,000
The Surfgimp Foundation held its seventh annual Winter Beach Bash Jan. 17 at the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach, drawing a sold-out crowd of about 450 people.
“Every dollar raised here ripples outward in ways that you may never fully see, but I promise you, those ripples turn into big waves,” said Melanie Liesener, Surfgimp board president. “We’re changing lives together, and I could not be more grateful.”
The event raised $57,000 for the foundation, which aims to financially support people with disabilities who require assistance to purse an active lifestyle.
The night featured a four-hour open premium bar, dinner from Jimmy’s Grille and live music from Bryen O’Boyle and Just the Tip.
There were also live and silent auctions featuring a variety of unique items, such as a four-night stay at a resort in the Dominican Republic, a bottle of rare bourbon whiskey, local artwork, a Philadelphia Eagles hat signed by Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, an autographed limited-edition poster of the band KISS and baskets with goodies from local businesses.
The money raised will be used to fund grants for kids, teens and adults with disabilities to help pay for the extra assistance they need to lead active and adventurous lifestyles. Grants pay for adaptive equipment; travel and entry fees for national and international sports competitions; lessons, camps and sponsorship to try new recreational pursuits; and more.
Since the foundation’s inception in 2018, it has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to more than 300 recipients.
Recipients range in age – some as young as 2, some in their mid-70s and 80s – and skill, from recreational athletes to international competitors.
The Winter Beach Bash is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser of the year and has grown significantly over the years.
The first year, they struggled to sell 300 tickets, said Fundraising Chair Chris Polizzi. Now, it sells out every year.
“The same people return and new people keep on coming,” Polizzi said. “It’s amazing the community that has developed around the Surfgimp Foundation.”
Ellen McIntyre is a reporter covering education and all things Dewey Beach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State - Schreyer Honors College in May 2024, then completed an internship writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2023, she covered the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand as a freelancer for the Associated Press and saw her work published by outlets including The Washington Post and Fox Sports. Her variety of reporting experience covers crime and courts, investigations, politics and the arts. As a Hockessin, Delaware native, Ellen is happy to be back in her home state, though she enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. She also loves live music, reading, hiking and spending time in nature.
