“Unconditional Love Gala” Junior Committee Gearing Up To Raise Vital Funds For Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation

The Unconditional Love Gala Junior Committee is inviting the East End community to join them on Saturday, July 8 for a fun evening that helps save the lives of animals in need at Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF).

Jean Shafiroff and Elizabeth Shafiroff. (Photo: Sean Zanni/PMC)

“The Unconditional Love Gala is such a magical evening that benefits an important cause,” shared Merritt Piro, UL 2017 Junior Co-Chair. “Animals provide us with so much love and happiness so it is important to give back and help them in any way that we can.”

“Being involved with the Unconditional Love Gala gives me the chance to do a small part in helping animals find their humans,” added Sarah Vacchiano, UL 2017 Junior Co-Chair. “We’re as lucky to find them as they are to find us.”

Taking place at a private residence in Southampton, the soiree will kick-off with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m.

The 2017 Gala is honoring Jean Shafiroff and Sony Schotland. “I am delighted to be honored this year along with Sony Schotland, a co-founder of the Shelter. As an Honorary Board Member, my work for Southampton Animal Shelter has been extensive. I began by changing their annual fund raiser from a cocktail party to a dinner which helped the Shelter raise over four times the amount in that one year,” shared Shafiroff. “It is a great honor to be honored. As an honoree there are certain expectations and anyone who accepts to be honored should do all they can to help and promote the group they are being honored by.”

An adorable Southampton Animal Shelteran. (Photo: Sean Zanni/PMC)

Shafiroff notes that events like Unconditional Love Gala are a group effort. “I went on to actively fund raise and then chair on my own the Shelter’s gala for four more years, enabling the Shelter to raise millions of dollars,” she explained. “Of course, all the work is done as a team. We have people of all ages who attend our elegant gala. We are excited about our junior committee.”

SASF Director of Adoptions Katie McEntee, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Kingsley Crawford, Pamela Suskind, Merritt Piro and Sarah Vacchiano will serve as co-chair of the junior group, with the junior committee featuring Anna Johnston, Jessica Mackin, Isabelle Mercier-Dalphond, Tony Bowles, James Marzigliano, Gloria Dios and Lily Baker.

“Thank you to all the juniors who are joining us this year. The past two years have been so much fun!” noted McEntee. “We offer a junior dinner ticket and a junior after dinner ticket where juniors can join us after the dinner for drinks and dancing.”

Think one after party is enough? Not for Unconditional Love Gala.

“But the fun doesn’t stop there, we all head over to AM Southampton for an after-after party. Big thank you to Kingsley Crawford, Pamela Suskind, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Sarah Vacchiano and Merritt Piro for joining me as co-chairs for this years gala,” added McEntee. “We are looking forward to a great night. When you support the gala, you can enjoy a great night and help an amazing organization, the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation. Hope to see you there!”

Junior tickets (35 years and under) begin at $300, while Junior After Party Tickets are $125. Event dinner tickets $1,000.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 631-728-7387 or visit southamptonanimalshelter.com.