By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Hundreds of fans swarmed Eagles All-Pro and Pro-Bowl center Jason Kelce when he held his annual fundraiser for autism awareness last summer at the Ocean Drive bar in Sea Isle City.
In news sure to generate loads of excitement again this year, Jason and his brother, Travis, announced Friday that they will be returning to the famed OD, as it is known by locals, for another round of fun and fundraising on June 28.
They revealed on their “New Heights Show” podcast that their appearance at the OD for a fundraiser benefiting the Eagles Autism Foundation will coincide with their first ever “Beer Bowl” at the bar.
“We’re doing our first ever fan competition. It’s going to be the first of many,” Jason said while hyping the Beer Bowl.
Would-be finalists for the Beer Bowl are invited to send in their name, their team’s name, their team’s theme and a video displaying their beer pong skills to @NewHeightShow on Twitter or by email at NewHeightShow@gmail.com. The Beer Bowl is open to the public. Teams have two weeks to submit their videos.
“Obviously the more fun the theme, the better the chances you have of getting in,” Jason said on the podcast.
“We want the people to get creative with this one,” Travis said.
“We want the best of the best,” Jason emphasized.
“The best of the best,” Travis repeated.
“This is not going to be one-dimensional. We’re going to be challenging all of your (beer) pong skills, all of your flipping skills, all of your chugging skills,” Jason said.
Beer Bowl winners will take home a $50,000 cash prize and be presented with the New Heights Trophy.
A vacationer in Sea Isle for years, Jason Kelce became a hometown guy last year when he and his wife, Kylie, bought a summer place in the resort.
Seemingly the entire town was pulling for Jason when he and the Eagles played his All-Pro and Pro-Bowl tight end brother and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl last February. The Chiefs prevailed, 38-35, in a thriller.
Last June, Jason pulled double duty while mingling with hundreds of Eagles fans at a family-friendly area set up at the Paddy’s Green outdoor dining area at O’Donnell’s Pour House and then serving drinks at the Sandbar and Grill at the Ocean Drive bar.
In a surprise, he brought along Travis last year as well as Eagles offensive left tackle Jordan Mailata, who carefully squeezed his massive, 6-foot-8, 345-pound frame into the crowd.
Jason Kelce also appeared at the OD in 2021 in a guest bartending role to raise money for his “Team 62,” which is part of the Eagles Autism Challenge, an annual fundraiser for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
“After sitting around and discussing it, it became absolutely clear that the OD wanted to be involved with the fundraiser,” Kelce said in an interview with SeaIsleNews.com during his appearance last year.
He noted that one of his inspirations for his Team 62 was the Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism fundraiser organized each year by Mike and Jeannie Monichetti, of Mike’s Seafood & Dock Restaurant, the iconic Sea Isle eatery.
A total of $100,000 was raised for the Eagles Autism Foundation at the OD in 2021, including $50,000 from the public and a matching $50,000 donation from Kelce and his wife.
Ever since the Eagles Autism Challenge was launched in 2018, the effort has raised more than $22 million for the foundation. One hundred percent of participant-raised funds from the team’s signature charity event are invested into the autism research and care community, the Eagles say.
