Every year the Bellport-Brookhaven
Historical Society holds a Gala fundraiser, which is the opening night
party for their museum exhibition. The Gala is the only fundraiser held
by the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society and always occurs in the
summer. The Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society is a not-for-profit
organization devoted to the preservation and interpretation of Long
Island's past, and particularly the history of the Bellport, Brookhaven
and East Patchogue area.
The first Gala was held in 2003 and
honored the Grucci family. The museum show that year was called "The
Gruccis of Bellport." In the summer of 2004, their exhibit was "As Time
Goes By: Remembering Ingrid Bergman." The 2005 Gala honored a long time
member of their board, Mr. Robert Duckworth, and the museum exhibition
was called "Hidden Treasures." The theme for the 2006 Gala
was "100
Years on the Bay" and honored the centennial of the Bellport Bay Yacht
Club. 2007
honored "Bellport-Brookhaven: Then and Now" and included an exhibition
of paintings, drawings, and photographs of the Bellport-Brookhaven area
from 1871 - 1923. The 2008 Gala celebrated the
life, interests, and contributions of Dennis Puleston, a Renaissance man
of our time.
Posters from past Gala's are on sale at the Museum Exchange Shop, 31
Bellport Lane, Bellport, NY, 631-286-0888. The exchange shop is open
Thursday-Friday, 11:00am-5:00pm.
Click here for more information about the
Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society.
2010 Gala
Date: Saturday, June 5th
Time: 4:00pm
Theatre Location: Bellport
Middle School Auditorium, 35 Kreamer Street,
Bellport, NY
Party Location: Bellport-Brookhaven
Historical Society, 12 Bell Street, Bellport
"Cavafy:
Passions and Ancient Days," a theatrical event
conceived and performed by
Emmy Award Winning Actor Yannis Simonides, based
on the life and work of poet Constantine Cavafy
(1863-1933, born Alexandria, Egypt of Greek
heritage.)
Cavafy, considered to be one of the most
important poets of the 20thth century, is famous
for his startlingly contemporary subject matter
and his appealingly straightforward style.
Actor-writer Yannis Simonides evokes the
remarkably prescient spirit that inhabits
Cavafy's
work, gracefully weaving the author's poetry
into the story of his life in cosmopolitan,
multi-cultural Alexandria. The riveting
performance is accompanied by music and images
of Cavafy's time as well as of his beloved
Alexandria.
Join us for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres after
the performance and meet the Artist.
Please make reservations by calling 631-776-7640
or on our
website.
2009 Gala
Some of the Auction items included:
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
| A Carved Egret by Famed
Bird Carver Ken Budny |
An Extraordinary Large Oak Cabinet Carved with Heraldic Figures | A Fine 19th Century Armoire, Fully Restored | ||
|
As well as:
- A Private Tour of the Frick Museum by a Frick Great-Grandaughter (for 4)
- A Weber Q-100 Gas Grille
- And many others!
2008 Gala- "Celebrating Dennis Puleston: A Life Exploring Nature"
The Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society
held their opening night
gala of “Celebrating Dennis Puleston: A Life Exploring Nature” on
Saturday, August 9th. This special exhibit honored the life, interests,
and contributions of Dennis Puleston, a Renaissance man of our time. The
exhibit drew from artwork created by Dennis, artifacts from his
lifetime of exploring nature, and musings made by Dennis as he traveled
the world. It is hoped that this exhibit provided a glimpse into the
thinking and vision of this extraordinary man who lived a simple life in
Brookhaven Hamlet while impacting the lives of those outside Brookhaven
Hamlet in a very positive manner.
Over the course of his 95 years, Dennis wore many hats: sailor,
explorer, ornithologist, director of technical information at Brookhaven
National Laboratory, cruise-ship naturalist, husband, father, author of
several books, first chairman of the Environmental Defense Fund,
painter, botanist, to name a few. The image of an osprey, painted by
Dennis, was selected to represent this exhibition because it signifies
the simple elegance Dennis brought to all of his endeavors. In
particular, Dennis was part of the group responsible for the research
that determined the use of the pesticide DDT was responsible for
weakening the egg shells of the osprey; explaining the declining
population of these once prolific birds in our landscape. It was his
work and the work of the Environmental Defense Fund that prevented the
loss of these beautiful and majestic birds. This exhibit attempts to
honor the life and accomplishments of Dennis, and to encourage others to
follow in his footsteps.
The Historical Society is very pleased that the 2008 honoree
was Jim Tripp, the General Counsel of the
Environmental Defense Fund, who will celebrate his 35th anniversary with the fund
in the spring of 2009, and who has
been a Bellport homeowner since 1981.
Funds raised from the Opening Night Party were used by the Historical
Society, a no-profit organization, to fulfill its mission of preserving
the heritage and beauty of our Long Island communities. Just as Dennis
worked to protect and preserve our natural world, the
Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society works to protect and preserve our
historical world.