What started as a creative way to keep old Ocean City signs out of the landfill turned into nearly $67,000 in support for Believe In Tomorrow families — but the connection behind the fundraiser began years earlier.

When Ocean City’s iconic street signs, Boardwalk signs, dune crossing signs, and beach safety signs were replaced this spring and summer, Wyatt Harrison of Plak That saw an opportunity to give them a second life while supporting a cause that had already become close to his heart.

Long before launching the auction, Wyatt volunteered through Malibu’s Surf Shop, helping provide weekly surf lessons for children and families staying at Believe In Tomorrow’s Children’s House By The Sea. Through those experiences, he saw firsthand what time away at the beach can mean for families navigating a child’s critical illness.

Those memories stayed with him — and when the idea for an auction began to take shape, Believe In Tomorrow was a natural choice as the beneficiary.

What began as a way to save thousands of pounds of aluminum from the landfill quickly grew into something much bigger.

The auction featured 220 items, along with hundreds of “Buy It Now” signs, drawing more than 7,100 bids. In the final hour alone, bidders placed approximately 1,000 bids as people competed to take home their own piece of Ocean City history.

By the time the auction ended, signs were headed to new homes, patios, garages and man caves across 28 states — and an incredible $66,951.71 had been raised for Believe In Tomorrow’s Children’s House By The Sea.

Wyatt and the Plak That team recently presented Believe In Tomorrow with the proceeds, which will support improvements to our Ocean City respite home and help us continue providing families with critically ill children a place to get away from hospital routines, reconnect and simply enjoy time together at the beach.

The impact of the auction extends far beyond the dollars raised. This one-of-a-kind effort brought together Ocean City residents, visitors, businesses and supporters around a place that has served Believe In Tomorrow families for decades — while transforming something that could have been thrown away into meaningful support for families facing some of life’s most difficult moments.

We are incredibly grateful to Wyatt Harrison and Plak That for turning a simple idea into something extraordinary; to Lee and Malibu’s Surf Shop for helping plant the seed and for his longstanding support of Believe In Tomorrow’s Beach Respite Program; to the Town of Ocean City; and to the many media partners, bidders and supporters who helped make the auction such a success.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who gave an Ocean City sign a new home. Each one now carries a little more history — and helped create more moments together for Believe In Tomorrow families.

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