Sunset Benefit Clambake Sustains Mission of Kindness

Get ready to kick off your shoes and party on the beach! On Sunday, Sept. 8, the community will come together at McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch for a beachside celebration to raise funds that will enable Holiday Express to continue its mission of sharing music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in greatest need during its upcoming 32nd holiday season.

“The annual Sunset Benefit Clambake is Holiday Express’ most significant fundraiser of the year and proceeds will help us to deliver our mission to those most in need during the holidays and throughout the year,” said Eileen Higgins, executive director of the nonprofit. “It is always a rocking good time for a great cause at the beach, the Jersey Shore’s most treasured venue.”

The organization’s 2024 Sunset Clambake honoree is longtime supporter, Carol Stillwell, president and chief executive officer of Stillwell-Hansen, Inc., a leader in data center infrastructure solutions based in Edison and contributor to a host of nonprofit causes in the Jersey Shore region.

At a recent kickoff event for the Clambake at OceanFirst Bank, Stillwell was acknowledged for her many years of supporting Holiday Express, including sponsoring the annual Holiday Express benefit concert in Red Bank and Adopt-an-Event program, and for her dedication to improving the lives of people facing challenges.

The organization also announced that Stillwell, of Holmdel, will join Tom Hayes, the director of Customer and Community Relations at New Jersey Natural Gas, as co-chairs of this year’s Clambake committee.

Stillwell said: “Holiday Express has – and always will have – a very special place in my heart. I hope you will all join me on the beach in Long Branch to raise support for Holiday Express and to give thanks for all the volunteers and donors that make this magic happen, year after year.”

The Holiday Express story began in 1993 when local restaurateur and musician, Tim McLoone, was asked to perform at an event in North Jersey. He decided that if his group of musicians was performing for one organization, they may as well share the music and merriment with others.

During their first season, McLoone’s troupe of performers and volunteers organized heartwarming holiday parties for over 6,000 people at 10 sites, lifting the spirits of AIDS patients, people with developmental challenges, disadvantaged children, and isolated seniors. The nonprofit now serves approximately 25,000 people, making over 100 stops each year between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 to organizations across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The kindhearted organization is powered by over 2,500 volunteers who lend a hand throughout the year to get ready for the bustling holiday season of bringing high-energy parties featuring live music, interactive activities, costumed characters, and individual gifts to organizations across the tri-state area.

In addition to honoring Stillwell, Holiday Express will also present awards at the Clambake to dedicated volunteers Neil McDevitt, of Little Silver, and Bill Nagy, an Eatontown resident. McDevitt will receive the Andrew Spencer award and Nagy the Lauren Townsend award.

Andrew Spencer, of Middletown, had an extraordinary passion for life, an ability to make everyone around him smile, and a deep respect for those he loved. Spencer lost his life at the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Sept. 11, 2001. This award is dedicated in his memory and is presented to a volunteer who exemplifies excellence and a commitment to community service.

Lauren Townsend, student athlete and valedictorian, died at the age of 18 in April of 1999 in the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado. This award is dedicated in her memory for her commitment to excellence, passion for volunteering, and the brilliance of her spirit. It is presented to a volunteer who makes a difference in the lives of others, helping to fulfill the mission of Holiday Express – to deliver the gift of human kindness.

“Volunteers are what make this organization tick,” said founder McLoone. “Our volunteers make it possible to bring joy to thousands of people. We simply could not do this without their dedication and support.”

Like the mission itself, the Sunset Clambake would not happen without the help of many dedicated volunteers. Joining the committee co-chairs are Robin Griggs of Stillwell-Hansen, Maryann Larkin, Colts Neck, Anne Davis, Spring Lake Heights, and many Holiday Express volunteers.

The beach benefit is set for 5 p.m. on the beach in front of McLoone’s Pier House in Pier Village, 1 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch. Individual tickets for the event are $300 and include hors d’oeuvres, a lavish buffet and raw bar, lobster and filet mignon, open bar, chance and silent auctions, live music from the Holiday Express Band and dancing on the beach under a vast tent. Tickets can be bought online at www.HolidayExpress.org.

Sponsorships range from $1,500 to $20,000 and are also available on the website, as well as purchasing notes of congratulations and ads for the virtual ad journal, which will be on display throughout the evening.

For more information on the clambake, email [email protected].

About Holiday Express
We’re a charitable organization that brightens the holidays for vulnerable populations by bringing live music, entertainment, gifts, meals, hope, and joy to group homes, developmental centers, long-term hospitals, homeless shelters, special needs schools and other organizations in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Founded by restaurateur and musician Tim McLoone, we’ve been delivering the gift of human kindness since 1993. Learn more about our mission at HolidayExpress.org.