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Hamptons.com
November 18, 2014

Willie Geist Hosts IAVA’s Heroes Gala In NYC

Lee Frydby Lee Fryd
in Recreation
Home Recreation

If you think the young Americans vets who served in Irag and Afghanistan shouldn’t wait months for healthcare, or reach the point where 22 of them commit suicide daily, then you can understand why the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has mushroomed into a national force. It started in returning vet Paul Rieckhoff’s East Village living room ten years ago. Today, IAVA is the largest organization of post 9/11 veterans and their families. Their Heroes Gala, hosted by Willie Geist, attracted 700 people to Cipriani 42nd Street, including Henry Kissinger, Bob Woodruff, J.R. Martinez, Ronan Farrow, Michelle Monaghan, and NY Times journalist David Brooks.

It honored CEO and Co-Founder of Uber Inc., Travis Kalanick and Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. Nashville singer-songwriter Kandace Springs performed.

Among the brass: Brigadier General Loree Sutton (Ret) (NYC Commissioner of Veterans Affairs), Derek Coy (Former Marine Sergeant), New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and The Honorable Robert A. McDonald (Secretary, US Department of Veteran Affairs).

At the center of it all, is the charismatic Paul Rieckhoff, who came back from Iraq and realized existing veterans programs were not geared towards this new generation of American heroes. With .05% of our population involved in the fighting, he recognized we are not a nation at war, just a small subset, and these veterans face unique problems.

“We work a lot with the Hill in DC, with the VA itself on statuary and regulatory reform,” Legislative Director Alexander Nicholson explained. Their outreach includes a Rapid Response Referral Program, a hub “for best in class services for vets going through issues.” They were instrumental in repealing the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and getting the VA Reform Bill passed this summer.

No wonder, J.R. Martinez, the burn victim vet, actor, author and motivational speaker, who won season 13 of “Dancing With The Stars,” has been on board since the beginning. “I met Paul ten years ago, when IAVA was just a little seed in the ground that he was planting,” Martinez told us. “I believe in what he’s done. I believe in what he does. He’s one of the few non profits that exist in this country that actually do what they set out to do. So, I always try to lend whatever service I can. Whether it’s speaking, hosting, or tweeting, I’m always trying to push the word out about them.”

But is he dancing? “For fun, with my friends, I go out all the time. But it’s not ballroom. What people don’t understand: when you’re on ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ you learn a routine. You don’t necessarily learn the full fundamentals of the style of dance. So, you can’t just pick up with anyone and start dancing. I know how to do a routine in Cha Cha. I can’t just bust out into ballroom wherever I could.”

We bet you could.

“I probably couldn’t, to be honest with you. Trust me I know.”

Willie Geist and Robert A. McDonald. (Photo: Paul Bruinooge/PatrickMcMullan.com)

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Sheila Rosenblum Hosts Cocktail Party For Lady Sheila Stable

Sheila Rosenblum Hosts Cocktail Party For Lady Sheila Stable

  • On August 25th, The Center at West Park held a special one-night-only reading of All The President’s Men at Guild Hall in East Hampton.⁠
⁠
📸: By Jessica Delane⁠
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#guildhall #centeratwestpark #easthampton #roberdowneyjr #markruffalo #reading
  • An inside look on the Hampton Classic
#hamptonclasic #horseshow
  • Check out the Top Hamptons Events This Weekend!⁠
⁠
⁠
📍 The Montauk General X Lands’ End⁠
🗓 Thurs, Aug 28 – Sun, Aug 31 | 10am–3pm⁠
📌 Montauk General Store at The Brunch Playhouse, 14 Amagansett Square⁠
🎁 Free limited-edition tote with orders over $100 (while supplies last)⁠
⁠
🐎 50th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show⁠
🗓 Thurs, Aug 28 – Sun, Aug 31 | 8am–5pm⁠
📌 240 Snake Hollow Rd, Bridgehampton⁠
⁠
🍇 Wölffer Estate Vineyard PPL All-Star 2025⁠
🗓 Sat, Aug 30⁠
📌 Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Sagaponack⁠
🎾 World-class padel at the Hamptons’ most iconic vineyard⁠
⁠
😂 Zarna Garg at WHBPAC⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 8pm–9:30pm⁠
📌 76 Main St, Westhampton Beach⁠
⁠
🎶 Joe Delia & Friends at The Clubhouse Hamptons⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 6pm⁠
📌 174 Daniels Hole Rd, East Hampton⁠
⁠
🎧 Silent Disco Dance Party in the Garden⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 8pm⁠
📌 Guild Hall, East Hampton⁠
⁠
👗 Marfa & Friends Trunk Show⁠
🗓 Thurs, Aug 28 – Sat, Aug 30⁠
📌 Sag Harbor⁠
⁠
🎬 Jaws’ 50th Anniversary Screening at Sunset Theater⁠
🗓 Fri, Aug 29 – Mon, Sept 1⁠
📌 Water Mill⁠
⁠
👠 Hamptons Fashion Week⁠
🗓 Sat, Aug 30 | 2pm⁠
📌 Location TBA⁠
⁠
🎸 Dogpark at The Stephen Talkhouse⁠
🗓 Sat, Aug 30 | 8pm⁠
📌 Amagansett⁠
⁠
🍴 Stirring The Pot: Florence Fabricant & Pete Wells⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 11am–1pm⁠
📌 Guild Hall, East Hampton⁠
⁠
🌊 ANOTR at Surf Lodge⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 4pm⁠
📌 Montauk⁠
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🎷 Garden Concert ft. Freddy DeBoe⁠
🗓 Sun, Aug 31 | 6pm⁠
📌 Canoe Place Inn, Hampton Bays⁠
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🔗 Link in Bio⁠
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#hamptons #wolffer #padel #landsend #montauk #fashion
  • Earlier this month, Shelter Island’s Rams Head Inn hosted a riveting Gilded Age Finale screening featuring lead actress Cynthia Nixon, award-winning costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone, and executive producer/director Michael Engler.⁠
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📸:Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com⁠
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Check out the full gallery at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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#ramsheadinn #gildedage #shelterisland #cynthianixon #shelterislandny
  • Culinary and lifestyle icon Ina Garten will host an intimate tea and garden tour at her famed East Hampton residence on Wednesday, August 27th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. A limited number of guests will be invited to share tea with Ina and walk with her through her celebrated gardens and grounds.⁠
⁠
Known for her signature warmth and effortless approach to cooking and entertaining, Ina has earned a devoted following across generations. With her calm presence, foolproof recipes, and signature phrases like “store-bought is fine,” she takes the pressure off hosting, making room for only joy at the table.⁠
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Read the full article at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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#hamptons #inagarten #community #easthampton
  • The magic of The Soho Sessions returns to the Hamptons this summer, bringing a rare and intimate live performance to Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on Monday, August 25, 2025. This one-night-only event features Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris (with introduction by the actor Jason Biggs) and the genre-defying powerhouse Yola in a night of music with purpose and soul.⁠
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It’s also a night for change. The event supports Music Will, the largest nonprofit music education program for schools in the U.S., which aims to reach 10 million students annually by 2030. It’s a cause that hits home for Morris: “I loved my choir and theatre classes in high school; they really shaped my theory and love for being creative in every medium,” she recalls. “It also teaches you how to be a team player and work together.”⁠
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Read the full article at Hamptons.com (Link in Bio)⁠
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#stephentalkhouse #talkhouse #amagansett #marenmorris #yola #concert #hamptons
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