Coney Island's Sand Sculpting Competition Raises Funds For Sandy Victims
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Dozens of sculptors dug into the sand at Coney Island beach on Saturday all in the name of a good cause.
As WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported, the 24th annual Sand Sculpting Competition raised money for victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Organizers said more than 70 people aimed to outdo each other on the sand.
Competitors included professionals who have traveled the world building sand castles from Japan to Brazil and all over the United States.
Sue Beatrice is a pro when it comes to taking a mound of sand and making it look like marble with her putty knife and a straw to blow away the fine grains, Miller reported.
"You have to use a lot of water, and you have to pack it in," the Sea Cliff, Long Island resident said. "Well we're constructing in sand something that's supposed to honor those who are reconstructing Coney Island."
Coney Island's Sand Sculpting Competition Raises Funds For Sandy Victims
Lisa Jones, with Astella Development Corporation, said that they're helping to put Coney Island residents' lives back together almost two years after the storm.
"There are people who still need their basements redone, there are people who still need walls, there are people who still need furniture," she said.
Thousands of spectators stopped to admire the creations opposite Deno's Wonder Wheel. So far, they have refrained from kicking the sand.
The prizes for this year's competition range from $100 to $400.
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