The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has announced the Summer Soirée fundraising gala will return with a cocktail hour, dinner and silent and live auction at 6 p.m. on June 27 at the historic Three Village Inn in Stony Brook. The primary purpose of the fundraising is to support the ongoing restoration of the beloved Stony Brook Grist Mill (c. 1751). Any additional funds raised will support WMHO education programs and invasive species projects sponsored by WMHO.
This year’s event will be honoring three exceptional individuals who are WMHO supporters and community leaders: Charlie Lefkowitz, Barbara Damianos and the Damianos Family, and Michele Miller.
Charlie Lefkowitz is Chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority, President of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and President of CALCO Development and Louis Lefkowitz Realty Inc. Despite this hectic work life, he remains very involved in community endeavors. He resides in Setauket with his family.
Barbara Damianos raised her five children in Head of the Harbor and now resides in Port Jefferson. She is known for her international charity work that has taken her to countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Ukraine, Peru, and Russia. The highlight of Barbara Damianos’s professional life was the establishment of her family’s wineries. The Damianos Family collectively runs three vineyards: Pindar Vineyards, Duck Walk Vineyards, and Jason’s Vineyard.
Michele Miller is an Educator at Selden Middle School. She has been integral to the success of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s (WMHO) Youth Corps. Her daughter Leslie, an attorney who worked for the Bloomberg Administration and now works for a non-profit, was one of its first members. The Youth Corps is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. Michele resides in Setauket.
“These honorees were selected because of their good works in the Long Island community and beyond”, said Dr. Richard Rugen, Chairman of WMHO.
For tickets and sponsorship information for the Summer Soirée, visit www.wmho.org or call 631-751-2244.