On Saturday, August 19th the Animal Rescue Fund of The Hamptons hosted the Bow Wow Meow Ball, an evening of dinner and dancing amidst the 22-acre ARF campus in East Hampton. It was the inaugural event for the brand-new William P. Rayner Training Center, and 8,400 square foot open space designed for dog training and responsible pet ownership classes.
Over 350 guests from New York and the Hamptons attended the evening to celebrate ARF’s life-saving work and raised important funds for cats and dogs in need. The proceeds from the event benefitted ARF, a leading animal adoption center on Long Island.
The organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Bow Wow Meow Ball returned to ARF for the first time since 2019.
“My wife Pat and I have been supporters of ARF for many years. This night stood out to me as one of the best. Having the Bow Wow Meow Ball in ARF’s new space, knowing what a change it has made for the animals at ARF, and gathering with other animal lovers for the first time in four years – it all came together to make a memorable evening. It is an honor and a privilege to be leading this board. Over the past 49 years ARF has been a beacon of excellence, driving forward what it means to provide best-in-class animal care and safety, rescuing more than thirty thousand animals,” said Mike Franzino, ARF Board President.
Joining in the evening’s festivities were the most important guests of all, a selection of ARF cats and dogs available for adoption. Highlights of the evening were the live auction and Call to Arms with auctioneer Jason Lamoreaux, featuring a film about a feral kitten name Sticky who was found in Montauk, stuck to glue trap, and former ARFan Sampson, a special pup rescued from South Carolina, who stole the hearts of everyone he met. These films brought awareness to ARF’s dedication to its mission and raised much needed funding for medical services.
The evening honored ARF’s Forever Home Project Team led by J. Petrocelli Contracting for their partnership and support of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons. Chuck Scarborough served as the Master of Ceremonies, and ARF Executive Director, Kimberly Nichols, and Board President, Michael Franzino, presented the ARF Champion of Animals Award to John Petrocelli and his team.
“The Bow Wow Meow Ball is poised to generate over a third of ARF’s yearly operational budget, encompassing expenses ranging from fuel for the rescue transport van to the veterinary services and animal care personnel who diligently tend to the animals’ needs. The existence of ARF is intrinsically tied to the generosity of our donors. It is with profound gratitude that we extend our appreciation to the many individuals and organizations that embody the spirit of compassion in action, ushering us ever closer to the realization of a community where every adoptable pet finds its forever home,” said Kim Nichols, Executive Director/CEO
The lively crowd danced to the music of the Peter Duchin Orchestra amongst the beautiful garden décor coordinated by Design Chairs, Lisa McCarthy and Alex Papachristidis and provided by Broadview Gardens and The Sag Harbor Florist. Guests also enjoyed wines from Kontokosta Winery, and baguettes and cookies by Armin & Judy.
Guests Included Governor Kathy Hochul, Suffolk County DA Ray Tierney, Katharina Otto-Bernstein and Nathan Bernstein, Nan Bush and Bruce Weber, Chuck and Ellen Scarborough, Peter Marino, Emilia Saint Amand, Diana and Marvin Chudnoff, Virginia Coleman, Christina and Alan McDonald, Lisa and Brian McCarthy, Kathy Rayner, Gordon Hoppe, Samantha Rudin Earls, Alex Papachristidis and Scott Nelson, Shahab and Libby Karmely, Andrew Sabin, Mike and Pat Franzino, Robert and Barbara Liberman, Margit and Blair Brandt, Peggy Siegal, Kathleen and Charlie Marder, Ralph Gibson and James Wright, Olivia Chantecaille, John and Dina Burns, Congressman Nick LaLota
