This year the Group for the East End (G4EE) is celebrating 45 years of protecting the environment at their annual Swing Into Summer Benefit on Saturday, June 17 from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. at The Bridge in Bridgehampton.
“Over the past year, we have made substantial progress in cleaning up our region’s waters, protecting critical habitats, and educating our children about the beautiful and fragile East End environment,” said Group for the East End President, Bob DeLuca. “But none of these achievements would be possible without the generous support of our dedicated members who come together each year to raise nearly 50 percent of our annual budget at our exceptional summer gala.”
Swing Into Summer Benefit will feature the unveiling of a new exhibit that encompasses wildlife sculptures crafted from marine debris, showcasing a life-size osprey, a giant jellyfish with eight-foot tentacles and a Rastafarian angelfish. The sculptures were created by volunteers from trash collected during a series of beach cleanups sponsored by Group for the East End. The exhibit is designed to raise awareness in the community about the harmful impact of pollution on wildlife and marine life. Guests will be invited to get creative and add bottle caps, fishing line, and plastic straws to complete sculpture in progress during the cocktail hour. The final sculpture will be displayed at Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue.
Stéphane Samuel and Robert M. Rubin are co-hosting Swing Into Summer, which will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing, an auction led by comedic actor Richard Kind, and the most spectacular sunset water view on the East End.
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This is Group for the East End’s 45th year in operation. (Courtesy Photo) |
Additionally, G4EE will honor Joey Wölffer with the Ceres Award. “In Roman mythology, Ceres is the Goddess of the Environment, and we couldn’t think of a better first recipient for this award than Joey Wölffer,” said Group for the East End’s chairman, Katherine Leahy Birch. “Joey has been a longtime supporter of the Group, as was her late father Christian. Her family’s vineyard is one of the few Long Island vineyards certified as sustainable by Long Island Sustainable Winemaking. Through Joey’s guidance, the winery employs sustainable practices to reduce soil erosion, water-recycling methods to reduce pesticide use, and more. We’re proud to honor her this year.”
Group for the East End was established in Bridgehampton in 1972 to serve as a community advocated for conservation in response to broad-based community concern about the future development of the region. Over the years, the Group for the East End has developed a reputation for achieving lasting conservation success with the support of civic, business, and elected constituencies.
Tickets start at $1,000 per person.
The Bridge is located at 1180 Millstone Road in Bridgehampton. For more information, call 631-765-6450 x 216 or visit www.groupfortheeastend.org.
