BEACHWOOD – The sound of spinning roulette wheels was punctuated by shouts of victory as upbeat music blared. The reason for all the commotion: Hope Out Loud.
The casino-themed fundraiser, hosted by a hotel in Toms River, raised money to help local families who are having trouble making ends meet.
Hope Out Loud was started by Elliott Wohl and Jennifer Rolfs of Beachwood. The start of their fundraising journey was unusual to say the least.
They were out to dinner one night. While she was using the restroom, he checked Facebook. He made a quick comment online saying good night to everyone in Zone A and disparaging the other three zones. Beachwood is broken up into four zones for the sole purpose of determining what days your garbage and recycling are.
Wohl woke up the next morning with 170 comments. This good-natured smack talk took on a life of its own. It eventually evolved into an annual softball game where residents of the four zones face off for superiority and bragging rights.
The couple also regularly host a cook-out that brings in dozens of people. With this kind of traffic, Wohl thought, could this become a force for good?
Attendees were asked to bring new, unwrapped toys to a Christmas party they hosted. Wohl and Rolfs dropped off 80 toys to Toys For Tots. While those toys go all over the state, they worried that the toys might not find their way to local families. Thus, Hope Out Loud was born in 2024.
“There’s a party anyway,” Wohl said, and now the celebration brings good things for those in need. They were able to help the Dowd Annual Food Drive. They were also able to sponsor a family in Beachwood through Christmas Angels.
After Rolfs’ Christmas party, a flood of donations came in. With help from the Dowd family, toys went to domestic shelter Providence House in Whiting. Food donations went to Potter’s Pantry in Bayville.
The casino night featured various games of chance but the real winners are the families that will be helped this year.
