Endless Summer: Laura Lofaro Freeman & Michael Kors Chair Splendid Southampton Hospital Gala

No one left the Southampton Hospital’s Summer Party when the dinner and speeches were over. They danced to Alex Donner’s Orchestra and table hopped, embracing the “Endless Summer” theme. “The vibe was very, very pleasant, a little more relaxed than in the past,” Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Chaloner enthused, of the Steven Stolman-designed beach motif that channeled Montauk’s hipster sensibility. Artists Charles Wildbank, Michael Dweck, Paton Miller, Thomas Dash, Jeff Muhs, Peter Dayton, Jerome Lucani, Peter Tunney and Peter Max had decorated surfboards to be auctioned. “Feedback has been just spectacular and I’m just so grateful for everybody being here to support the hospital.”

Chuck Scarborough, Laura Lofaro Freeman, and Bob Chaolner. (Photo: PatrickMcMullan.com)

Laura Lofaro Freeman, Michael Kors and Douglas Elliman Real Estate served as Benefit, Fashion and Corporate Chairs (respectively). Once again, Chuck Scarborough, lent his time and talents to emcee. Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs catered. The evening raised money for the hospital’s Jenny and John Paulson Department of Emergency Services. “It’s such a needed service,” said Chaloner, echoing the sentiments of the community.

In the seven-and-a-half years since Chaloner came aboard, the hospital has been transformed. “It’s been a slow and steady climb up,” he told us. These days, “waiting times in the emergency room are virtually non existent. We’ve got a lot of new equipment, including some ultrasound that we added this past year. There has been additional training and augmentation for the staff, as well. We just achieved a 95% Press Ganey patient satisfaction score in the emergency room that is just off the charts.

“We have the state of the art Ellen Hermanson Breast Center, state of the art radiology equipment and we’re building two new state of the art operating rooms. We have upgraded all of the nursing floor and the Telementry (for cardiac treatment). We’ve added over 30 additional nursing physicians and recruited a whole host of doctors. At a time when other hospitals are struggling, we’ve been able to survive and actually prosper, and it’s thanks to the support of the community.”

Jean RemmeL Fitzsimmons and Howard Lorber were Circle Sponsor Chairs. Fitzsimmons also serves as Board Liaison. Lisa Arnold, Somers Farkas, Regina Glocker, Nancy Jane Loewy, Margo MacNabb Nederlander were Raffle and Silent Auction Chairs; Elyn Kronemeyer and Kathy Reilly, Underwriting Chairs; Cindi Cook, Raya Keis Knight, Gift Bag Chairs; Kelli and Gerald Ford, Nancy and Peter Larsen, President’s Committee Chairs.