On Saturday, August 5, guests will gather under the tents on Wickapogue Road, Southampton to celebrate the return of the Hamptons’ biggest and longest running fundraiser, Southampton Hospital Foundation’s Annual Summer Party, to benefit Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
Celebrating 65 years of raising funds to support healthcare in the Hamptons, the gala’s theme this year is A Night At The Colony Hotel, in partnership with Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, owners of the famed Colony Hotel Palm Beach.
Southampton Hospital Foundation Visionary Board Member Joey Wölffer brings Wölffer Estate Vineyard as the presenting sponsor for guests to experience the Sagaponack-based winery’s world-class wines.
We spoke with Sarah and Joey to learn more about this year’s event.
Tell us about your involvement in this year’s Southampton Hospital Foundation 65th annual Summer Party.
Joey Wölffer: Wölffer Estate became a title sponsor for the Southampton Hospital Foundation Summer Party in 2020 during a time when Covid had such an impact on the hospital. We knew it was a critical time to step up and support the community, and we have remained in support ever since. This year I am honored to be a founding member of the Vision Board to continue supporting the Hospital in an even more impactful way.
Sarah Wetenhall: I was recently named a member of the Southampton Hospital Foundation Vision Board, which is an exciting and momentous honor. The board’s critical mission is to engage a wide cross section of the East End community as the Hospital expands its medical facilities into East Hampton. As a board member, I was happy to partner The Colony Hotel with the foundation’s Summer Party to create an exciting and fresh event that speaks to the entire community.
The theme this year is A Night At The Colony Hotel. Talk about how the space will be transformed into the iconic Palm Beach hotel.
SW: Get ready to be immersed in the Pink Paradise! We are transporting much of the iconic décor and even the famous beach buggy up from Palm Beach specifically for this event. Expect to lounge under scalloped umbrellas, immerse yourself in photography by Nick Mele, take pictures in front of our famed deGournay mural, and sip signature cocktails like the Spicy Socialite with small bites from famed eatery Swifty’s, a New York favorite now at The Colony Hotel.
Wölffer wine is the presenting sponsor and the event will feature Swifty’s dishes paired with Wölffer wines. Tell us a little about what guests can expect.
JW: We are pleased this year to see The Colony Hotel, a place I know and love, be a part of the Summer Party. Between our iconic Summer in a Bottle rosé paired with the delicious offerings from Swifty’s and the hotel’s décor, it’s sure to be everyone’s dream summer evening.
Talk a little about the importance of supporting the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
JW: Our main goal in supporting Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is to see access to healthcare for the community of the East End and ensuring those who live here can get the proper care that they need. It’s inspiring to see all the great work the hospital is doing and the foundation gives our community a way to get involved and give back.
SW: Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is an essential service that supports every member of the East End community equally. Health transcends all superficial cultural and socioeconomic barriers, it is the great equalizer, and we are all humbled when tragedy or illness strike. The hospital’s many resources keep our community healthy and enjoying all the East End has to offer.
