On Saturday, July 20th, over 400 guests celebrated the wonder and beauty of nature and animals for Quogue Wildlife Refuge. The Wild Night was hosted at the historic home of Paul and Jane Dietche, while Refuge animals roamed the backyard.  “The Benefit Gala is our most significant fundraising event for the Refuge, and is instrumental in allowing the facility to remain open and accessible to all, year-round, free of charge,” explained Refuge Executive Director Michael J. Nelson.

The furry festivities included: getting up close and personal with the Refuge’s resident animals, live music by The Times Square Orchestra, mouth-watering hors d’ouevres by Buoy One, delectable desserts by Phillip Stone Caterers, coffee by Hampton Coffee Company, wine by Lieb Cellars and Wolffer Estate Vineyards, beer by the Southampton Publick House, vodka by Tito’s handmade organic vodka, and a silent auction and live auction by Bill Ritter of Channel 7 News and 20/20.

Benefit Co-chair Traci Duke shares, “I’m honored to be a co-chair of the Benefit this year.  The Quogue Wildlife Refuge plays a centric role in the uniqueness of our Village, and the outpouring of support from Quogue and the surrounding communities for this special event is truly amazing.”

The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is a 305-acre expanse of protected land, with more than seven miles of trails that include a variety of habitats such as Pine Barrens, bogs, wetlands, a field, and a tidal estuary.  Its mission is to serve as a responsible land steward of the Refuge property and its natural resources, while promoting, implementing and supporting environmental education.

*All photos courtesy of John Neely

Quogue Wildlife Rescue is located at 3 Old Country Rd., PO Box 492, Quogue, NY 11959.  For more info go to www.QuogueWildlifeRefuge.org or call 631.653.4771