Earlier this month, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons celebrated their 16th Annual GET WILD! Gala, raising funds to support their mission to rehabilitate and successfully release animals back into the wild across Eastern Long Island. The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center is Eastern Long Island's only wildlife hospital, operating as a grass-roots non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of wild animals impacted by human encroachment on their habitat. 

Originally starting as a small group of concerned friends, the organization has grown into a full-service professional wildlife hospital with over 3,000 members and supporters including licensed rehabilitators, biologists, animal behaviorists, and staff volunteers. Receiving over 10,000 calls yearly requesting information or assistance regarding wild animal encounters, the center operates on an annual budget of over $650,000 funded almost entirely by generous donors. 

As guests gathered at the Southampton Arts Center in support of the beloved organization, they sipped cocktails, snacked on light fare, and enjoyed live music by special guests Taylor Barton and G.E. Smith. Attendees also geared up for an exciting silent auction, which featured board member Jeffrey Colle’s generous gift of a safari at Buffalo Kloof in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. The prize was sold several times to the delight of supporters, and all proceeds benefited the native wildlife treated at the hospital. 

The evening also featured appearances by some of the rehabilitated but non-releasable hawks and owls that reside at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center. The friendly raptors, including “Skittles the Owl”, even had the chance to snuggle up with notable attendees such as event honoree Michael Hayes, Missy Hargraves, Jill Rapaport, Beth Stern, Chuck Scarborough, Jean Shafiroff and more. 

Michael Hayes was honored at this year's Gala, and the benefit’s event chairs were Ingrid Edelman, Jane Gill, Missy Hargraves, Jonathan McCann and Lisa Baron Schenker. The emcee for the event was Award-winning animal advocate Jill Rappaport, and other special thanks was awarded to Express News Group, Lawlor Media Group, Charles Spitzner Nursery, Tito’s Vodka, Duckwalk Vineyards and Leslie Wine. 

For more information on The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, visit WildlifeRescueCenter.org or follow @wildliferescuecenter on Instagram.