Hamptonites Out in Force to Fight Meningitis

East Enders turned out in full force for the National Meningitis Association’s annual Give Kids a Shot Gala last week at the New York Athletic Club.

Co-chaired by Hamptons’ players Sara Herbert Galloway, Barry Klarberg, Gary Springer, Errol Rappaport and Lenore Cooney, as well as Ambassador John L. Loeb, his wife Sharon Handler Loeb and Para Olympic Gold Medalist Nick Springer, a survivor of the disease, as the Honorary Chairs, the annual event to fight the potentially vaccine-preventable disease brought in hundreds of the area’s movers and shakers.

In the glamorous crowd were Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Broadway producers Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley, Joy Marks, Gary Andreassen, Lorraine Cancro and Katlean de Monchy and David Post. Also attending were Miss Teen USA 2012 Logan West, star of Nickelodeon’s I Carly Bree Michael Warner, actor Joe Sirola and NMA Teen Ambassadors, brother and sister, Justin and Alana Galloway.

Emmy-winning actor Richard Thomas and best selling author and broadcast journalist Rita Cosby emceed the affair.

The evening honored Dr. William Schaffner, Health Achievement Award Honoree for his advocacy of the role of vaccines in protecting individual and community health; Cindy Krejny, Moms on Meningitis Outstanding Service Award for her tireless efforts to educate the public about meningitis and her work with Ohio lawmakers to mandate vaccination for college students;  Massachusetts State Senator Jack Hart who pushed the passage of a mandatory vaccination in his home state, with the Nancy Ford Springer Inspiration Award  and NASCAR record breaking winner Kyle Busch and his wife Samantha with the Community Leadership Award for the work of their Kyle Busch Foundation in support of programs that aid disabled and disadvantaged children around the country.