This summer and fall, the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign will hold a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of the nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing drunk driving in memory of Navy Ensign John Elliott and all victims of DUI.
From July through October, the campaign will invite the public to vote for their favorite non-alcoholic beverages during the third Great HEROtini Mocktail Challenge. The competition, featuring 20 popular bars in and around Atlantic City, will showcase creative mocktails prepared by local bartenders — with names like “Cherry NOjito” and “No Buzzz Colada.”
A kickoff tasting event featuring mocktails from eight bars, taverns and casinos will be held Tuesday, July 1, from noon to 2 p.m. on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in front of the Tropicana Pavilion. HERO Patrol cars from several area police departments, featuring the campaign’s signature slogan — “Be a HERO. Be a Designated Driver” — will also be on display.
The winning bar, determined by the highest amount of donations raised throughout the contest, will receive the coveted HEROtini Cup trophy and a trip to a 2026 Phillies game with a celebration in the ARAMARK Suite. One participating voter will be randomly selected to attend the game as well.
“The HEROtini mocktail contest is a fun way for customers to support their favorite bars and have a chance to see a Phillies game next season in the fabulous ARAMARK Suite,” said HERO Campaign Chairman Bill Elliott, who co-founded the campaign with his wife, Muriel, following the tragic death of their son John in a July 2000 crash caused by a drunken driver.
The campaign will also host HEROtini Happy Hour receptions at participating bars throughout the summer and fall. Attendees will be invited to sample and vote on each bar’s contest entry. “It’s a fun way to make an important point,” Elliott said. “Designated drivers save lives — and can still be part of the party.” He added that being a designated driver is now widely recognized as “cool” and the real “life of the party.”
On Tuesday, July 22, the campaign will commemorate the 25th anniversary of Ensign Elliott’s death with a ceremony in Salem County. The event will include the unveiling of the 30th HERO Police Patrol vehicle at the Salem County Sheriff’s Office, 135 Cemetery Road in Woodstown. Officers from 25 police departments across South Jersey will form a HERO Patrol procession to a wreath-laying ceremony at the roadside memorial marking where Elliott lost his life — at the intersection of Route 40 and Slabtown Road in Upper Pittsgrove Township.
On Sunday, Oct. 19, the 14th annual HERO Walk and one-mile fun run will take place on the Ocean City Boardwalk, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Sixth Street Civic Center. A memory banner featuring photos of DUI victims will also be dedicated.
At the time of his death, Ensign Elliott had just graduated near the top of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy and was driving home to Egg Harbor Township for his mother’s birthday. The driver who killed him had been arrested for DUI earlier that night and released to a friend who allowed him to drive again while still intoxicated. The tragedy led to the passage of John’s Law in New Jersey in 2001, requiring police to impound vehicles of those arrested for DUI for 12 hours and to issue written warnings to those picking them up during that period. According to New Jersey State Police, more than 20,000 vehicles are impounded annually under John’s Law.
Funds raised by the HERO Campaign, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, support billboard messaging, school and college education programs, designated driver recruitment at NFL and MLB stadiums, and the HERO police cruisers wrapped with the campaign’s message: “Be a HERO. Be a Designated Driver.”
For more information, visit www.herocampaign.org.
