Virtual Shamrock Splash Raises Over $50,000 for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

Special to the Transcript

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Virtual Shamrock Splash had to “go virtual” this year, but that didn’t stop nearly 150 registered Splashers and nearly 750 participants and 28 teams from raising more than $50,000 to support free beach programs from Nahant to Nantasket when the beaches open up later this year, as part their Better Beaches Program Partnership with DCR.

Participants competed for free flights from JetBlue and great swag from Harpoon Brewery. This year’s winners were:

Jane Kepros from East Boston raised $3000 and won the prize for Biggest Fundraiser.
You can see her splash at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt1vKuJoIbw

Mark Bisson of East Boston’s Team HarborKeepers won the prize for best costume for his great Lobster Costume.
You can see his splash at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7QkDzUAjL0

Jeremy Reger of South Boston and team MassKiting won the prize for Most Unique Splash for his series of eight splashes.
You can watch them all at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPUaKD9Nwey1hMNDbaQyAxw

Kennedy Elsey and Kennedy’s Crew splashed in Quincy and won the prize for largest team.

Emma Leavett from the Dorchester Art Project and Carol Haney from Revere won this year’s raffle.

Some teams and participants splashed to raise funds for their favorite beach, which will be supplemented by additional funds from Save the Harbor’s Better Beaches program.

This year’s totals by beach were:

1: South Boston $6,094

2: Quincy Wollaston Beach $5,225

3: East Boston Constitution Beach $4,845

4: Lynn and Nahant $4,710

5: Revere Beach $3,395

6: Winthrop $3,310
   

7: Hull Nantasket Beach     $2,735

8: Dorchester $2,490

“We are optimistic that if people continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, and sign up for their free vaccinations as they become available, the region’s residents from Nahant to Nantasket will be able to return to our beaches again this summer,when free beach events and youth programs will be more important than ever before,” said Mancini. “Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s Splash such a success we hope to see you on the beach soon.”

Since Save the Harbor/Save the Bay began the Splash during their 25th Anniversary celebration in 2011, thousands of splashers have raised more than $1 million dollars to support free beach events and programs in Lynn, Nahant, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

Save the Harbor wants to thank their program partners and our event sponsors, including Harpoon Brewery, JetBlue, Mix 104.1, The Blue Sky Collaborative, The Boston Foundation, The Richard Saltonstall Charitable Foundation, Beacon Capital Partners, P&G Gillette, National Grid, the Daily Catch, and Comcast.

In addition, Save the Harbor wants to thank Metropolitan Beaches Commission Chair Senator Brendan Crighton and the legislative and community members of the Commission for their support for our beaches and our communities. They also want to thank the Baker-Polito Administration, the Massachusetts Legislature, our partners at the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Boston Centers for Youth & Families, the YMCA of Greater Boston, and the hundreds of people who take part in the Harpoon Shamrock Splash every year, for their support.

To learn more about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay visit their website at www.savetheharbor.org and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.