OCEAN CITY – Participating restaurants in Ocean City have raised $44,118 in the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore’s first Dine United OC competition.
Executive Director Kathleen Momme announced the totals at the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association’s economic development committee meeting and said the entirety of the money will stay in the region to fund 74 programs.
United Way had hopes to reach a $50,000 fundraising goal by Sept. 5, but fell short in the remaining month of the competition.
However, Momme praised the success of the first event.
“Every dollar counts,” she told attendees.
In 2016, United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore has provided $1.4 million to programs in the four surrounding counties, which impacted more than 77,000 people.
Proceeds from the competition will now go toward this total.
Twenty-five restaurants competed against each other throughout the summer to raise money with campaigns.
Jay and Cole Taustin accepted awards for both The Embers Restaurant and Blu Crabhouse and Raw Bar for top internal promotions, and most creative fundraiser in the 600+ and 300-600 seating categories. Submitted Photos
Awards for the most successful and creative campaigns were given at a Sept. 29 banquet at Blu Crabhouse & Raw Bar and were divided based on seating capacity.
More than 40 people were in attendance and six restaurants received awards for their campaigns.
The General’s Kitchen was the overall and promotional specials winner for the 0-150 seating capacity category, raising $5,100 with donation cans and check promotions.
Happy Jack Pancake House was the overall and promotional specials winner for the 150-300 seating capacity category, raising $2,640 with can donations, specials menus and vendor matching campaigns.
Harrison’s Harbor Watch was the overall promotional specials winner for the 300-600 seating capacity category, raising $6,815 with drink specials and vendor matching campaigns.
Seacrets was the overall winner for the 600-plus seating capacity category, raising $3,579 with employee contributions and corn hole tournaments.
The Embers Restaurant was promotional specials winner for the 600-plus seating capacity category, raising $2,196 with specialty drinks.
Blu Crabhouse and Raw Bar won the overall award for most creative campaign and raised money through employee competitions and raffles.
Each restaurant that used specials menus to raise money donated $1 to $2 of each item to United Way.
The Dine United OC competition began with The Embers Restaurant and Blu Crabhouse & Raw Bar Vice President Cole Taustin, who came up with the idea after joining the United Way Board of Directors, according to Outreach and Communications Manager Vicki Miele.
Susan Johnson, Vince Sapia, Cory Morgan, Olivia Mommé, Betty Sapia, Oxana Konoplyanik and Linda Oliver celebrated DaVinci’s By the Sea’s success in the Dine United OC competition.
“We couldn’t be happier with the response Dine United OC received from Ocean City locals and tourists this summer,” Taustin said. “Even more amazing was the support United Way received from OC’s local restaurant owners and their employees for their efforts. Our community thanks you all for a job well done.”
Momme says the campaign was successful enough that it has led to plans to expand the competition to Salisbury and Cambridge.
Restaurants in the Salisbury area will start their Dine United competition next month.
Momme says Ocean City was the first town to participate in a competition of this nature, but believes it will be a pilot program for independent United Ways across the country next year.
The organization says they are hoping to expand this campaign into two more competitions — Stay United and Play United.
However, there is no word on how these campaigns will operate, or who they will include at this time.
The Lower Eastern Shore’s division is one of 1,400 independent United Ways in the nation, according to Momme, and is the second largest non-profit behind the government.
Twenty-five partners and 52 programs that United Way works with provide services within Worcester County.
Momme says her group writes $90,000 in checks each month and hopes that this fundraising year will have an even larger success rate.
United Way has announced a goal to raise $2 million for the coming year.
The complete list of restaurants who participated in the competition can be found at www.unitedway4us.org.
