By Katlean de Monchy —

Jean Shafiroff knows how throw a party on Memorial Day weekend. There must be a reason and she knew it: a party to gather people for a cause, the cause being the Southampton Animal Shelter.

Jean Shafiroff (Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

There is a blow-out gala scheduled for the animal shelter on July 22, one of those prime weekends in the middle of a Hamptons’ summer. And Jean Shafiroff is the  gala chair.

So why not get some people who are involved with animal welfare, or who are animal lovers, or who are Jean’s friends and who may find they are more interested in the Southampton Animal Shelter than they thought, and who were in town on Memorial Day weekend? The invitation was to a cocktail party at El Turco, a Turkish restaurant on Four Mile Harbor Road.

Jean Shafiroff with the owner of Turco, Cagri Kanver (Photo credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

When you are an event chair, your work on a gala starts the day after the last gala ends, so a mere seven weeks before the next one is almost at the last minute, right?

Thus it was on May 28 that her guests enjoyed her Launch Party for the 14th Annual Unconditional Love Gala. It was a beautiful afternoon. Among the guests were moi, and my good friend, Michael Zigger.

Michael Zieger, Katlean De Monchy (Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

There were my friend the terrific interior designer Elizabeth Steimberg, Bradford Rand, Lee Fryd, Mar Morosse, Alexandria LaFata, Erica Appleman, the popular chiropractor Arezou Naderi, Maria White, and Soren White, about 150 in all.

Missy Hargraves (Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

The animal activist Missy Hargraves, of course, was there. And so was Jordan Lippner, the chairman of the board of directors of the Southampton Animal Shelter.

Dr. Jennifer Jablow, Jordan Lippner (Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

It was an admirable crowd. State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, an advocate for people with disabilities, was in attendance, and so was the “dentist to the stars” Dr. Jennifer Jablow.

And among the guests was the legendary party girl and publicist from the Studio 54 era, Carmen D’Alessio. TWELV once said of her that she “knew that famous people aren’t always rich, and rich people aren’t always beautiful, but when you put the rich, famous and beautiful in a giant room together you get magic…”  And if that isn’t the secret of any Hamptons party, I don’t know what is.

Jean Shafiroff, carrying a Chanel bag, Carmen D’Alessio, and State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright (Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni)

Perhaps the most glamorous guest went unrecognized. Amy Green (also known as Amy Heart Green) is married to Gary Green, and is a philanthropist, a former sports journalist and an ambassador for ACCL.

ACCL is not a familiar acronym. I didn’t figure it out until later, when I went home and looked it up.

Amy Heart Green is an ambassador for the African Community and Conservation Foundation, along with Paula Abdul, Dave Matthews, Evander Holyfield, Josh Duhamel. People like that.

Amy Green; Photo Credit: Patrick McMullan / Michael Ostuni

 Some people feel bad about rabbits hit by cars on back roads at night. Others want to spay and neuter stray cats. The adoption counselors at the Southampton Animal Shelter hope that someone will have it in their hearts to come by and find companionship in an overweight, 12-year-old, half-blind pug. And some people work to stop the poaching of elephants in Africa.

They are all united by their love of animals. Well off people are able to buy tickets to the gala. Others can make a contribution to the shelter. Southampton Animal Shelter is at 102 Old Riverhead Road W., Hampton Bays.

There is another animal shelter benefit on June 24, a garden tour for $125, and a tour followed by cocktails at 4pm and a chance to meet adoptable canines for $175. Is there a more cunning idea than offering cute dogs for adoption, and resistance-lowering alcohol at the same time?

Information and garden location for that event are here.