A garden party that helps students

A festive garden party event overlooking Bellport Bay, with cocktails, light bites, friends, music and fab live auction items shouts “come on, let’s go!”

But especially since this grassroots organization benefits South Country students.

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, the 28th annual South Country Education Foundation Cocktail Party & Auction will take place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Chantal and Dr. Richard Berman’s beautiful waterfront home on 40 Academy Lane.

Dress is summer casual.

Like to dance?  You can boogie to fabulous Donna Maida of That 70s Band. Woo! Hoo!

SCEF president Andrea Fassman, vice president Suzette Emma-Uzzi, and board member Hans Tempel sat down with the Advance to discuss the upcoming event.

“There are six items in the live auction,” said Emma-Uzzi. “The first is a painting by a 12th-grade student Alana Cornacchiulo, who did our invitation and artwork. (Get it while it’s hot! Cornacchiulo earned a Long Island Arts Alliance 2026 Scholar-Artist Merit Award in visual arts.) Another is a hot tub donated by AJ Spa and Hot Tubs. There’s an exclusive North Fork wine culinary tour for four, an original jazz edition Fender bass guitar donated by Gregg Giannatti, a lacework wall mirror by David Ebner, and a kayak designed by Gene Westhoff donated by Robin and Pete Roe.”

Westhoff developed a youth kayak building program at the Carmans River Maritime Center.

Fassman noted that since the last auction, “we’ve given over 80 grants totaling $109,000.”

“One hundred percent of what we raise is utilized for these programs,” added Tempel.

 Grant funding comes from donations to the foundation by community members, alumni and local nonprofits, as well as from the proceeds of the annual cocktail party and auction.

Those grants enabled students to attend Theater Three performances, the Long Island Aquarium, Sweetbriar Farm, Watch Hill, and in-house programs at CEED.

“Also, leadership conferences and college visits,” Fassman said.

Future plans include grade-level field trips. “We’re trying to stick to the curriculum,” Emma-Uzzi said. “For instance, our fourth and fifth graders study oceanography, so we might go to the Long Island Aquarium again. We’re also thinking of bringing in motivational speakers to address adversity.”

“In the past we had 450 guests generate over $100,000,” said Tempel. They are hoping to raise $150,000 this year.

For tickets, click on scefonline.org.