By Steffen Klenk
It was a lively evening at Harbor Pines Golf Club on Tuesday as hundreds attended the HEROtini Happening Mocktail Awards Night. The festivities were underway early, with over a dozen area bars and restaurants serving up their tastiest Zero-Proof mocktails, all while promoting the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign’s mission to prevent drunk driving. Shore Local’s Whitney Ullman and Comedian Matt Bridgestone were there to emcee the festivities.
The HEROtini Mocktail Challenge began on Memorial Day Weekend as a five-month long contest among 27 local establishments, all with the goal of promoting and making non-alcoholic mocktails for designated drivers. This evening’s event marked the end of an exciting competition, with guests voting for their favorite mocktails by way of donation.
This year’s winner was the Windjammer Café and Grille in Somers Point took home First Place for their “Eagletini” mocktail, a non-alcoholic version of a Bloody Mary, created by bartender Kathy Hoover. The Windjammer successfully raised over $6,000 from customers and supporters such as Ocean City Financial Group. Second place was awarded to Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, while Josie Kelly’s Public House came in third.
In the Judge’s Choice category, Dock’s Oyster House took home first place for their mocktail creation, the “Radical”. There were celebrity guest judges Nancy Adler, Scott Cronick, Robin Stoloff, and Nikki Balles to present the award.
Linwood Country Club took first place in the People’s Choice category, winning over the crowd with their ‘Non-Smashed Blackberry Mojito.’ The victors received just over seventy votes from attendees. Other finalists included the Crab Trap, Harbor Pines, Gregory’s, Hard Rock, Steve and Cookies, and Ocean Casino Resort.
By the end of the night, a total of $26,250 was raised to promote safe and sober driving throughout our region. The HERO Campaign continues to work with partnerships from schools and colleges, police departments, bars and taverns, professional sports teams, and Uber, ensuring that everyone has a safe ride home.
Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.
