For those searching for thrills for a good cause, look no further than the Shark Tank
Showdown, hosted by the Riverhead Aquarium on Tuesday.
The event, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. is a fundraiser that will see two individuals from each of the two groups of nine
contestants who raise the most and least funds in their groups enter the Riverhead Aquarium’s
120,000-gallon shark tank. There they will be greeted by sand tiger sharks, nurse sharks and a
variety of exotic fish. Additionally, Long Island natives Jenn Seelig and Alex Camala of News 12
will jointly emcee the event, before being dropped into the tank themselves.
All fundraising by the 18 contestants is done prior to the showdown, and those who are
selected to swim will be chosen the day before.
The event will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by the dives. After the main event,
there will be a DJ, dinners, entertainment and a special appearance made by Stormtroopers
from the Star Wars series.
The Shark Tank Showdown is organized by Rise Life Services and People’s Arc of
Suffolk. Both are non-profit agencies that have provided support to local intellectually and
developmentally disabled people of all ages for decades, and the event is meant to raise
awareness and funding for their causes.
“It’s crucial to share with the community awareness of organizations that serve the
developmentally disabled,” said Grace Crowley, Rise Life Service’s Fundraising and
Development Manager. “Right now, people are always sharing that they are unsure about the
state of the economy and their finances … it's important that if they are feeling that way about
themselves that there is a whole organization supporting people who need services and aren’t
able to work.”
This is the second time that the Riverhead Aquarium has hosted the event, the last
taking place a decade ago.
Chief Advancement Officer for People’s Arc of Suffolk, Mary Fu, is excited for it this time
around, saying “It’s unique. I don’t think there’s anything on Long Island like this. It showcases
our program and gives a different type of opportunity to the people we support.”
Tickets for the event are currently being sold on People’s Arc of Suffolk’s website for $99
each. One stub grants entry and access to all the event’s amenities.
“The tickets are basically covering the cost of the event, and all the peer-to-peer
fundraising is how we’re going to make our money,” Crowley said.
All proceeds from the event will go to People’s Arc of Suffolk. Donations will be accepted
at the event through individual campaign pages and are tax deductible.
People’s Arc cut the ribbon this week on its newly renovated kitchen of its Dix Hills residence for disabled Long Islanders.