Wellness Foundation Hosts 7th Annual Summer Benefit: Photos

EAST HAMPTON, NY — Wellness Foundation founder and visionary Doug Mercer set out to transform the health of his community in 2005 by empowering children and adults with education and support so they could learn the power of a plant-based lifestyle to prevent and reverse chronic disease.

On Saturday evening at the East Hampton Historical Society's bucolic Mulford Farm, Wellness Foundation hosted its 7th Annual Summer Benefit to a sold out crowd. This year's theme was "A Celebration of Our Community Wellness Zone" and 11 honorees received the 2018 Illumination Award.

The honorees represented every facet of the community wellness zone, organizers said. The Illumination Award, event organizers explained, honors those individuals and businesses using their own lives to illuminate the path to wellness for others.

This year's award winners includes:

Corporate wellness partner: The Amaden Gay Agency

Local farm partner: Amber Waves Farm

W restaurant partner: Sabrosa Mexican Grill

Wellness zone business partner: Silich Core + Strength

Medical community partner: Erin McKay

School wellness champions: Beth Doyle and Shawn Smith

WKids wellness champions: Chris Cruz and Kyla Cerullo

Wellness challenge champions: Robert Covalito and Noelle Marcantonio.

The event was catered by Jay Astafa of Plant Rebel Events. Each guest received a complimentary signed copy of Matthew Prescott's "Food is the Solution: What to Eat to Save the World," which features healthy recipes aimed at individual health and the health of the planet.

Photos by Richard Lewin Professional Photography, soniboy@aol.com.

Reporting by Richard Lewin.