Bridgehampton, New York — The South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO), the only state-of-the-art natural history museum on the South Fork of Long Island, is pleased to announce that their 33rd Annual Summer Gala Benefit (Conserving Our Planet: The Future Starts Now) will take place at the museum in Bridgehampton on Saturday, August 6, 2022, to benefit SOFO’s educational and environmental programs and initiatives empowering families to be responsible stewards of our planet, chaired by Anke & Jürgen Friedrich and Susan & David Rockefeller.
The event will commemorate 33 years of leadership in nature conservation and education, and 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 more. SOFO works with people of all ages, offering hope and purpose as we strive to ensure the well-being and sustainability of our planet.
This year’s summer gala benefit Ambassador is Liev Schreiber, American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and narrator. The event will honor Special Guest Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer and founder of Mission Blue, and an oceanographer who has been at the forefront of protecting the ocean for the last 50 years. Other individuals being honored include special friends of SOFO Jim Ash, who was the first Executive Director of SOFO, Richard Grasso, former chairman, and chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange, SOFO Board Trustee Jeffrey C. Keil of Keil Fiduciary Strategies LLC, Greg Manocherian, the founder of RoeCo Holdings, a private real estate investment and development company based in New York, and Carl Safina, founder of the Safina Center and author of Beyond Words: What Wolves and Dogs Think and Feel, Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families Create Beauty and Achieve Peace, plus other writings about the human relationship with the natural world.
The evening will kick off with a VIP cocktail reception from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm and feature tasting menus from Bamboo, Beacon, Bell & Anchor, East Hampton Grill, The Eddie’s Pizza Truck, The Golden Pear, Montauk Shellfish Company, Page at 63 Main, Saaz, Shellworks, and Takumi Taco. The main reception will follow and include the honoree presentation and dinner and dancing with DJ Danja from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Dinner will be catered by Elegant Affairs Catering with flowers provided by Mark Masone. Spirits and beverages will be provided by Michael Cinque, Amagansett Wines & Spirits, Channing Daughters Winery, J.A. Baczewski Monopolowa Vodka & Gin, Talkhouse Encore, Uni Tequila, and Hampton Coffee Company. SOFO’s other gala sponsors include Amagansett Wine & Spirits, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, J.A Baczewski, Bamboo, The Bell Anchor, Bill Miller & Associates, Carole Crist Capital with a Conscience, Channing Daughters, Decco, Digi Booths, Doña Saaita Mezcal, East End Tick & Mosquito Control, East Hampton Grill, Eddie’s Pizza, Elegant Affairs, The Express-News Group, Greenberg Traurig, Hamptons Coffee Company, HSBC, Moji Masala, MM Design, Montauk Brewing Co., Montauk Peral Oysters, Ocearch, 1TEE10TREES, Page at 63 Main, Saaz, The Safina Center, Shellworks, Stamford Tent & Event Services, Summerhill Landscapes, Takumi Taco, Tso, Uni. Media sponsors are Dan’s Papers, Hamptons Magazine, the James Lane Post, the Northforker, Sag Harbor Express, and Social Life Magazine.
VIP Tickets are $1,400 and general admission tickets are $550. VIP Tables range from $10,000 – $50,000. Personalized sponsorship packages are available. For VIP tickets, tables, and business sponsorship opportunities, call Diana Aceti, Director of Development at 631-903- 7217 or email dianaaceti@gmail.com. General admission tickets can be purchased online at https://sofo.org/summer-gala or by calling 631-537-9735.
The South Fork Natural History Museum
The mission of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) is to stimulate interest in, advance knowledge of, and foster appreciation for the natural environment, with special emphasis on the unique natural history of Long Island’s South Fork. SOFO is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 nature organization chartered by the New York State Department of Education. 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. SOFOis a not-for-profit 501(c)3 nature organization chartered by the New York State Department of Education.
