25 Years of Care: The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center Marks Milestone with Hamptons Get Wild! Gala

In a season known for its soirées, the Hamptons made space for a different kind of celebration—one grounded in care, compassion, and the wild. On a balmy evening at the Southampton Arts Center, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center commemorated its 25th anniversary with the annual GET WILD! Gala, a philanthropic gathering that raised over $200,000 in support of the organization’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured wildlife across Eastern Long Island.

This silver-anniversary edition of the event honored longtime advocate Zelda Penzel, with animal welfare journalist and award-winning emcee Jill Rappaport leading the evening’s festivities. The gala was spearheaded by event chairs Ingrid Edelman, Jane Gill, Missy Hargraves, and Lisa Baron Schenker, whose efforts helped bring together an impressive guest list and a record-setting auction.

The milestone year wasn’t just ceremonial—it marked real progress on the ground. In the past year alone, the Center responded to more than 1,800 wildlife rescues, a record in its 25-year history. The newly unveiled anniversary logo reflects not only the Center’s growth, but also a renewed commitment to future generations of wildlife—and the communities that coexist with them.

The evening began with al fresco cocktails, where guests mingled with some of the very animals rehabilitated by the Center’s team of licensed specialists and volunteers. This rare close-up look into the Center’s work grounded the glamour in purpose and reminded attendees of what was truly at stake.

The GET WILD! Gala drew an eclectic, philanthropic crowd spanning animal advocates, Hamptonites, and civic leaders. Notable names in attendance included Kathleen Mulcahy, Zelda Penzel, Jill Rappaport, Henry Buehl, Jean Shafiroff, Leesa Rowland, Chris Teakle, and Ashley Bloom, as well as the ever-spirited “Aunt” Sue Hrib.

A live and silent auction energized the night, with proceeds directly supporting wildlife rescues, medical treatments, and educational outreach programs. With over $200,000 raised, the gala served as both a financial and symbolic high point for the organization.

Founded by a small circle of passionate conservationists, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center has grown into Eastern Long Island’s only full-service wildlife hospital. Located on Munn’s Pond Park through a cooperative licensing agreement with Suffolk County, the facility benefits from its placement along a rare ecological corridor that spans Tiana Bay to Peconic Bay. This stretch of land includes wetlands, Pine Barrens, forests, and meadowlands, making it an ideal environment for wildlife rehabilitation.

Over the past 25 years, the Center has trained more than 500 volunteers and responded to an average of 15,000 wildlife-related calls annually. The organization’s strength lies not only in its professional care, but also in its community engagement. The Center provides educational programming to local schools, internships for college students, and hands-on training that empowers the next generation of conservationists.

With an annual operating budget nearing $1 million, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center remains almost entirely funded by individual donors and philanthropic support. Events like the GET WILD! Gala are critical to sustaining the organization’s impact—and serve as powerful reminders that even amidst the social whirl of Hamptons high season, meaningful giving remains central to the region’s identity.