mdcoastdispatch.com – Ocean City, Md | December 5, 2019 | Written by by Bethany Hooper
Originally published on https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2019/12/05/ocean-city-bars-partner-for-believe-benefit/
OCEAN CITY – Two midtown bars will go head to head next week in a competition to raise money for a beach respite housing program.
On Friday, Dec. 6, Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation will host its first annual Believe in Tomorrow Game of the Week fundraiser.
Program Coordinator Wayne Littleton said two 28th Street sports bars, Pit & Pub and Dry Dock 28/Buxy’s Salty Dog Saloon, will compete against each other to see which establishment can raise the most money for the 2020 Believe in Tomorrow Prom Court.
“All the proceeds benefit the prom court members,” he said. “It eventually comes back to the [Believe in Tomorrow] Children’s House by the Sea.”
Each year, a prom court – composed of five men and five women – raises money for the foundation’s Prom Night fundraiser. One dollar equals one vote, and the man and woman with the most votes are declared prom kind and queen.
“It’s our biggest event of the year …,” Littleton said. “Last year we cleared $129,000.”
Leading up to the Prom Night event on Feb. 1, prom court members will be competing against each other, hosting their own fundraisers and events for the most votes. However, Believe in Tomorrow’s Game of the Week will give all participants an opportunity to raise some additional money for the foundation.
“Whatever amount we make from each place they will get an equal split,” he said.
Littleton noted the competition will be a battle between a Steelers sports bar and a Ravens sports bar.
“At the end of the night, we are going to total up what each place took in for us, and one will be the winner of the competition and will get a trophy for the first year,” he said.
Littleton explained each bar will have the same drink specials, raffles, and same number of auction items and mystery boxes, but the establishment that raises the most money wins.
There will also be competitions for the most festive bar and the bar with the most team spirit. Individuals who visit both bars can enter into a drawing to win a gift card to each establishment.
“There’s no fee to get in, it’s free admission,” Littleton said. “It’s all about people coming out and having a little fun. Wear your football and Christmas attire.”
To add to the festivities, Littleton said patrons can also support and penalize a bar by purchasing wooden coins.
“For a dollar, people can buy a vote and vote for their favorite place,” he said. “To have more fun, we’re also selling special, yellow coins – or penalty chips – and for $20 you can take 20 votes away from either place.”
Doug Buxbaum, owner of Buxy’s Salty Dog Saloon and Dry Dock 28, said he was eager to support Believe in Tomorrow.
“We did hold a few events for Believe in Tomorrow when we first opened Dry Dock,” he said. “So we figured we’d tie in the Salty Dog and Dry Dock to this event as well, to go against Pit & Pub and have a little fun with it. We’re just staging the show. We’re just here to support Believe in Tomorrow.”
Buxbaum said patrons would not only be supporting a good cause, but bragging rights on 28th Street.
“The competition isn’t just for the prom king and queen, but what side of the street raises more money,” he said. “If the Ravens beat the Steelers, at least I’ll have something to hang my hat on.”
Believe in Tomorrow’s Game of the Week will take place at both 28th Street bars on Dec. 6 from 6:30-10:30 p.m. For more information, call Wayne Littleton at 410-723-2842 or visit BelieveInTomorrow.org.
Believe in Tomorrow provides hospital and respite housing services for children and their families. This year’s Prom Night event, held on Feb. 1, will raise money for the foundation’s new pediatric housing facility, which will be located next to the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea.
“Everything we make this year will go to our new facility that we are hopefully going to break ground on in February at 65th Street,” Littleton said.