For 18 years, until 2013, the Concerned Women of the Grove (CWOG) Breast Cancer benefit was a fixture of mid-summer in Cherry Grove, invariably held at Heaven ’n’ Earth, the lavish estate at the east end of Bayview Walk, except in the case of rain, and raising tens of thousands of dollars for the Stony Brook Cancer Center and Gilda’s Club NYC. This season, a new group of activists, calling themselves CWOG—the Next Generation, revived the fundraiser, for the same beneficiaries, and the event took place at the Ice Palace on August 5.
Money was raised via a live auction, for a pair of tickets for “Hamilton” on Broadway, plus a backstage tour, and a silent auction of the likes of tickets to hear Lady Gaga live and to watch the taping of “Orange Is the New Black,” “The View,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Ellen,” “The Jimmy Fallon Show,” and “The Long Island Medium;” gift baskets, including one of New Orleans treats; sports memorabilia; a signed Beyoncé photo; a Keith Haring Silence=Death ACT-UP poster; framed “Memphis” LP, autographed by Melissa Etheridge; autographed Elton John and Lady Gaga photo; autographed photos of Glenn Close in “Sunset Boulevard;” Fire Island photos taken by Lorraine Michels; posters signed by the casts of “Beautiful—the Carole King Musical” and “Dear Evan Hansen;” and gift certificates for Cherry Grove Pizza, Sweet Licks, and the Blue Whale.
Entertainment was by Shirley Ritenour, singing an a cappella “God Bless America;” Donna Piranha, wearing a gown designed by Edgar “Lola Galore” DeMaio, claiming “I Kissed a Girl;” guitarist and singer Sue Cialini-King offering “Stop Dragging My Heart Around;” Logan Hardcore, Brenda Dharling, and Jada Balenciaga collaborating on “Bang, Bang;” Homecoming Queen Ginger Snap declaring “I’m Every Woman;” and Joann Tavis as Adele, doing “Rolling in the Deep,” with DJ RDK assisting.
Then CWOG the Next Generation and the original CWOG founders took the stage to take well-deserved bows.