Leah Palombi Crowned 2015 Miss Night in Venice

Miss Night in Venice 2015 (center) is Leah Palombi, 17, of Medford. She is joined by runners-up, including (left to right) Samantha Horowitz, Sophia Terry, Maria Farnan and Caroline Pizzano.

 

Leah Palombi was crowned 2015’s Miss Night in Venice on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old from Medford, N.J., was sponsored by the Gabriel Building Group of Ocean City. She attends Merion Mercy Academy in Lower Merion Township, Pa.

The public chose Palombi by donating the most money to charity in her name.

“It’s not like any other pageant,” long-time pageant leader Pat Gillian said in a brief ceremony to announce the winners Wednesday at Moorlyn Family Theatre.

In this contest, votes are cast in the form of dollars and coins dropped in donation buckets at local businesses bearing each candidate’s photograph. That’s the only criterion.

The 12 contestants collectively raised more than $24,000 for four charities: the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers, the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Food Cupboard, the Ocean City High School After-Prom and the American Legion Morvay-Miley Post 524’s Building Fund.

Representatives from each organization were on hand Wednesday to accept the donations.

The other top contestants were:

• 1^st Runner Up: Sophia Terry, Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy & Fudge
• 2^nd Runner Up: Maria Farnan, Boyar’s Market
• 3^rd Runner Up: Samantha Horowitz, Fox Real Estate
• 4^th Runner Up: Caroline Pizzano, Uncle Bill’s Pancake House

Miss Night in Venice will appear in parades and at Ocean City events throughout the year.