Southampton Hospital has announced the chairmen and celebrities who will help plan and stage their two time-honored summer benefits in 2005.

Sheila O'Malley Fuchs and Cindy Willis

Sheila O'Malley Fuchs and Cindy Willis will be the benefit chairmen and Vera Wang, a leading fashion designer of wedding attire, ready-to-wear and evening wear, will be honorary chairman of the nonprofit hospital's 47th Annual Summer Party Benefit, to be held on the Hospital's grounds in Southampton on Saturday, August 6. Kelly Ripa, star of Hope and Faith, ABC's primetime comedy series, and co-host of Live! With Regis and Kelly, will be Mistress of Ceremonies. The evening's festivities will wrap up with a late-night dance party for the younger set.

The Hospital's 26th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Party, the traditional kickoff for the Hamptons summer season, will be co-chaired by Mary Malhotra and Barbara Sartorius. The event, featuring tastings from local restaurants and wineries and an array of auction items, will be held on Sunday, May 29, at the renowned Meadowcroft mansion on Quantuck Bay in Quiogue. The evening's honoree will be Sheldon Tannen, the former chairman of The "21" Club, a strong supporter of Southampton Hospital who served on its Board of Directors for 12 years and has been involved in planning several Hospital benefits.

To Benefit Emergency Services

The Annual Summer Party, with a "Safari Summer" theme, will take place in a lavishly decorated tent and include cocktails, dinner and dancing, coupled with a silent auction and a raffle. The "after party" for younger guests will feature tunes spun by celebrated DJ Tom Finn. The evening's proceeds will benefit the Hospital's Department of Emergency Medicine.

Vera, a long-time supporter of the Hospital and an enthusiastic guest at previous parties, said she was pleased to participate because "All of us in the Hamptons are dependent upon the care, professionalism and knowledge of the Southampton Hospital men and women and they deserve our respect and support." Ms. Wang, her husband, Arthur Becker, and two daughters live in New York and have a summer home in East Hampton.

Sheila, who has enjoyed an illustrious career in marketing, is currently president of Rockfleet Media in New York City, with management responsibilities for four television stations. She considers it "a privilege to serve with Cindy and Vera to create this year's event. The real reward is that so many people come together for the benefit of this wonderful hospital. Our goal of meaningful financial assistance for the Emergency Department can only be achieved because of the level of community commitment shown by the many volunteers who work together to produce this remarkable evening." Sheila also serves as a volunteer director for The American Ireland Fund, Queen's University in Belfast and the Irish Georgian Society. She has served on the boards of American Ballet Theater, the Washington-based Women's Campaign Fund and Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She and her husband, Joseph, are the parents of four children and have homes in Manhattan and Southampton.

Cindy has worked on the summer gala for over ten years. She finds her volunteer affiliation with the Hospital both hard work and good fun but admits this year is her biggest challenge yet. "I'm honored to be chairing this wonderful event with Sheila and Vera. While we have a tough job ahead of us, we're confident that the community will respond to our efforts. Just as we need the Hospital, so too, does our Hospital need us." For previous Southampton Hospital benefits, Cindy has chaired or co-chaired the Raffle, Journal, Portrait Picnic and Invitations Committees. She is president of the Southampton Garden Club and a member of the board of the Village Improvement Association of Southampton. A former officer in charge of development and communications for the New York Junior League, Cindy now serves on the League's Thanksgiving Eve Ball Committee. Her husband, Ladd, is a member of the Hospital's board and holds the office of treasurer. The couple has one daughter and lives in Southampton year-round.

Vera Wang

To Benefit for Westhampton Primary Care

The Memorial Day Weekend Party, with its traditional "Spring into Summer" theme, will benefit the Westhampton Primary Care Center, allowing the Westhampton Beach-based facility to expand its walk-in services to better meet the expanding healthcare needs of its year-round and seasonal populations.

"Our hope is that the benefit will draw significantly from in and around Remsenburg, Westhampton, Quiogue, Quogue and East Quogue," said Ms. Malhotra, "to support this invaluable resource and enjoy a wonderful evening. We're so fortunate to be able to use Meadowcroft, a magnificent location to gather together to celebrate the beginning of summer. "

Mary is active locally on the boards of Quantuck Beach Club and the Quogue Junior Theater Troupe, and also serves on the boards of Concord Academy in Concord, MA, and the Episcopal Nursery School in Manhattan. Mary holds two Master's degrees, from the Wharton Graduate School and the University of Pennsylvania, and was a cum laude graduate of Princeton. She and her husband, Vikram, have three children and live in New York City and Quogue.

Ms. Sartorius anticipates a vivacious party and looks forward to "our enthusiastic Junior Committee infusing the evening with energy. Working together, I believe we can attain our goal of funding expanded health services for Westhampton Primary Care Center."

Barbara, who runs her own interior design business from a home office, has previously been involved in Hospital events in several capacities, including décor and auction. She also lends her skills to The Committee for the Philadelphia Flower Show and is president of the Quantuck Beach Club. She and husband, Peter, are the parents of two grown sons and have homes in Villanova, Pennsylvania and Quogue.