A Day That Brought Our Community Together
The air was filled with good energy and love on August 16, as over 4,000 community members joined to show their support for CARE! This year was our biggest turnout yet at Deal School from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This incredible turnout demonstrates that people understand how necessary CARE is for our community!
From grandparents to toddlers, everyone in the family had lots of fun. Sports fans enjoyed softball tournaments all day long. Players were treated to a beautiful VIP lounge, with comfortable couches, separate food and two massage therapists on hand to help them relax between games. We are incredibly grateful to every player and every team that raised money in order to participate. They turned their love of the game into playing for a good cause!
The kids raced from one attraction to the next, enjoying boardwalk-style carnival games, water slides, rock climbing, bungee jumping, swings, axe throwing, and so much more. They used the tickets they won at the games to enter raffles for amazing prizes.
The food was a hit with the perfect BBQ for a summer Sunday sponsored by TL Management. Snacks kept everyone going, with tables of churros, popcorn, cotton candy, hot pretzels and cookies from Shore Sugar Co. and ice cream from Pints n Pies. CARE Day merch and swag were available throughout the event, including custom softball gloves personalized with your name to make a great gift. Happiness was in the air as the DJ got everyone dancing, and there were so many smiles everywhere you looked.
The event was led by Abe Saka, Morris Kassin, and Ray Esses, who worked for months to bring this incredible day to life, together with event planner Jessica Esses, who did not leave out a single detail of this magnificent event. We are deeply grateful to more than 70 generous corporate sponsors and countless volunteers who gave their time, resources, and energy to make CARE Day possible!
New for this year, attendees could Spin The Wheel for the chance to win $18,000 cash. The excitement came from not knowing where the wheel would land, with amounts ranging from $1 to $360. Whatever amount a participant landed on was the amount they paid, giving everyone a fun and affordable way to take part while supporting CARE.
Beyond all the games and activities, there was something even more special in the air: a feeling of togetherness. CARE Day was a reminder of what happens when an entire community comes together for a cause that matters. “I see why this is called the best day ever.” Hearing those words from one of the attendees was the perfect way to end the day!
Behind every game, every team, every sponsor, and every smile is a child with special needs who knows they are not alone. Hundreds of families rely on CARE to walk beside them, support them, and help them navigate every step of the journey.
To everyone who came, played, volunteered, sponsored, and enjoyed: thank you for believing in CARE’s mission to support every child with special needs. You created a feeling of togetherness and made CARE Day an amazing event. To view the CARE Day gallery or learn more about CARE, visit careforspecial.org.
