NEW KDHamptons Party Pix: SOFO's 30th Anniversary Gala Benefit

photo by Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com Cassandra Seidenfeld, Mark Masona, Carole Crist, Andrea Correale photo by J. Vanderwatt for Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com

The South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center (SOFO), the only state-of-the-art natural history museum on the South Fork of Long Island, hosted over 525 guests at its 30^th Anniversary Annual Summer Gala Benefit on Saturday, July 13th to benefit educational and environmental programming and initiatives at the Museum. The event commemorated SOFO’s growth from a small nature clubhouse founded in 1988 by SOFO Board President Andrew Sabin and a group of South Fork naturalists concerned about the future of the area’s fragile ecosystems to an acclaimed state-of-the art museum highly regarded for its outstanding nature exhibits and over 270 annual educational programs focusing on environmental stewardship, climate change, sustainable energy, marine science, community outreach, and wellness.

Andy Sabin, William Flattery Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com

Marika Gerken, Jeffrey Cohen, Alexa Sacchini Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com

SOFO was delighted to present these scholarships at the event: the 2019 SOFO Scholarship Award made possible by a donation from BNB was awarded to Ripley Mercer. The 2019 Mulvihill Family Environmental Scholarship made possible by Mary Mulvihill was presented to Daniella Larjarza.

Guests were gathered at SOFO as they danced to 80’s music with “In the Groove” band, and could test-drive a Rolls Royce motor car. There was a special Performance by Livingston Taylor. Catered by Elegant Affairs Catering.

Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com

Says Andy Sabin, President of the SOFO Board of Directors, and avid environmentalist, conservationist and wildlife enthusiast, “We are very pleased that so many friends celebrated our 30^th Anniversary with us. It was a very special evening honoring brilliant people dedicating to the conservation of our natural world. We thank our Board of Directors, our Advisory Council members, our donors, our sponsors, our event team, our volunteers, and other special friends who came together to mark our 30^th anniversary. It is our responsibility as stewards of the planet to sustain and protect the natural world. What we need to do is foster compassion for other living things, and I believe the best way to do that is through direct experiences with nature.”

Emily Wisbey photo by J.Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

“Our Annual Summer Gala Benefit is our most important fundraiser of the year, ensuring the long-term sustainability of SoFo. We thank all of our guests for supporting our museum, which is a very important East End resource that educates and inspires families to become engaged and responsible caretakers of our planet now and for the future,” says SoFo’s Executive Director, Frank Quevedo.

SoFo is located at 377 Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike, PO Box 455, Bridgehampton NY 11932, http://www.sofo.org, and is open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, call 631.537.9735.

Atmosphere
photo by J. Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

Jennifer Ohlsson photo by J.Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

Matthew Sabin, Jonathan Sabin, Sam Sabin photo by J. Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

jan Wiechers photo by J. Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

Candid-Gary Brody, Jill Zarin photo by J. Vanderwatt for Rob Rich

—by Willa O’Connor