SOUTHAMPTON HOSPITALS SUMMER FETE

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THE HAMPTONS GOSSIP
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Southampton Hospital Summer Party
“An Enchanted Evening” Dazzles
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Story By: Edward Callaghan
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The Shafiroff Family

Lauren And Sharon Bush

Robert S. Chaloner With Governor David Paterson, Michelle Paterson, Jean And Martin Shafiroff

Barry Klarberg With Sara Herbert Galloway

Stunning Michelle Paterson With Governor Paterson

For one evening each summer, Wickapogue Road, once little more than a trail through farmland, takes on the look of Hollywood Boulevard as Lincoln Town cars, Bentleys and pricy vintage convertibles jockey for position to deposit guests for the Hamptons premiere social event of the season - the annual Southampton Hospital Summer Party. Part of the fun of this yearly fete is watching the guests stride across the lawn to the main tents – men in brightly colored jackets and the requisite Stubbs & Wooten slippers with their couture clad lovely ladies in eye popping colors that just shout summer and jewels pulled from the vault for this the party of the season. Now in its 52nd year titled “An Enchanted Evening”, the Southampton Hospital Summer Party proved once again why this gala continues to be the premiere event of the season with a major display of eye candy for fashionistas. Governor David Paterson (in a [ale blue summer suit worthy of Tennessee Williams) and our beautiful First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson in a sunflower yellow draped top and a gold brocade skirt , benefactors Jenny and John Paulson and event chair Jean Shafiroff welcomed more than 1000 guests to the Summer Party on Saturday, August 7th. Barclay’s Wealth served as Honorary Corporate Chair and Tiffany & Co. served as Honorary Jewelry Chair for the event which raised a historic $1.72 million to support the Hospital. On the receiving line, Jean Shafiroff dazzling in a strapless red Oscar de la Renta couture gown and a vintage diamond necklace and sapphire drop earrings from Tiffany & Co. and her over 30 Vice-Chairs accepted congratulations and thanks from the stylish crowd. There is no red carpet but the event arrivals always create the sizzle with both ladies and gents decked out in their brilliant summertime finery. Before going into cocktails and to check out the extraordinary silent auction prizes, we spotted scores of the East Ends’ most glam gals and stylish gents. Among these rara aves we spied Broadway husband and wife producing team Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley; the effervescent vice chair Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster and her husband Robert Lyster in a handsome Paul Stuart coral blazer; more of our dear friends Robin Cofer and Dominick D’Alleva; Sphinx Music Organization’s Marshay Williams, stunning in black & white with husband Chris Williams; vice chair Nancy Stone resplendent in floaty orange chiffon and floral bolero with husband Dr. Martin Stone, a member of the Hospital Board, Rudy and Lydia Touzet; Sandra McConnell gorgeous in Luca Luc with the always debonair Chris Obetz.

Model John Brand With Governor David Paterson, Elizabeth Shafiroff And The Woodward Reports Brian Woodward

Ellen And Chuck Scarborough

Also we chatted with former chair Melanie Wambold wearing an aubergine Roberto Cavalli and her movie star good looking husband John (that’s what my girlfriends say); Jimmy Nederlander and wife Margo McNabb Nederlander in ruffled multi-colored Jackie Rogers; famed orthopedist Dr. John Hubbell and his beautiful wife Ali and the evening’s co-emcees Ellen and Chuck Scarborough. Once inside the tent, we ran into scores more happy supporters of the hospital including; Steven Bernstein, President of the Southampton Hospital Foundation; hoteliers Dede Gotthelf and Terry Moan; Myra and Frank Weiser; Carol Rohrig and Bill Finneran; Sara Padob; Susan Goldstein; Dr. Shawn Cannon who is now running the new residents program; our dear fiend Mildred C. Brinn; publisher Angela Anton; Sara Herbert Galloway and fiancé Barry Klarberg; Lucia Hwong Gordon; Jean Remmel Fitzsimmons who was honored later for her 25 years of leadership; legendary New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham and vice chair Margo Catsimitidis with her husband supermarket mogul John, daughter Andrea and her fiancé Christopher Cox who is running for Congress- and another 900 +.lucky enough to snare the hot ticket of summer. The sold out gala “demonstrated the depth of the community’s commitment to our Hospital and its extraordinary staff” said hospital President and CEO Robert S. Chaloner. “We are so very grateful to Jean Shafiroff for engaging so many friends and supporters to celebrate the importance of high quality community health care.” Proceeds from the event support the operations of Southampton Hospital’s recently opened Jenny and John Paulson Emergency Department. Summer Party guests gathered under the tents on Wickapogue Road in Southampton to dance to the music of The Alex Donner Orchestra enjoy a sumptuous buffet of braised short ribs, corn pudding, summer vegetables and mine pop in your mouth cupcakes by Robbins Wolfe Eventeurs and savor the creative Enchanted Evening theme designed by Tony Urrutia. Jenny Paulson dedicated the Paulson family’s recent gift of $5 million in memory of her late father. The Paulson’s gift enabled the hospital to nearly double the size of its existing Emergency Department which cares for more than 25,000 patients annually. The very modest Jean Shafiroff surrounded by family – husband Martin Shafiroff who head up Barclays Wealth Management, daughters Jacqueline and Elizabeth and her own father - was moving in sharing her amazing success with the team that she had built and attributed it all to teamwork on a massive scale. Kudos to Jean, Martin and the whole committee who created his historic record breaking event. With dinner over, Alex Donner cranked up the volume and kept the dance floor packed for the remainder of this enchanted evening. Southampton Hospital is affiliated with Stony Brook University Medical Center and is a member of the East End Health Alliance. In 2010 the hospital was awarded the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for the second time and was recognized by The Healthcare Association of New York State with its Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety.

Photos By: James Edstrom