Under gorgeous skies, sports legends, TV & Radio personalities and the East End charity set turned out in droves for the Ann Liguori Foundation Annual  Outback Steakhouse Dinner Dance at Duck Walk Vineyards in Water Mill hosted by popular sports radio & television personality Ann Liguori on Friday, July 15. The dinner came hot on the heels of her sold out Ann Liguori Foundation Charity Golf Classic, at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton. Proceeds from both events benefit the American Cancer Society and Healthy Children, Healthy Futures, teaching young people about good nutrition and fitness for over-all good health benefits.

The evening began with cocktails overlooking the beautiful vineyards with a bird’s eye view of the new Parrish Art Museum. Outback Steakhouse, one of the evening’s sponsors, offered specialty drinks including Black Cherry Peach Mojito, New South Wales Sangria and a brand new Naturally Skinny Margarita.

The Hampton’s chic dinner dance featured delicious appetizers and a complete buffet dinner courtesy of Outback Steakhouse. Several of their delectable appetizers include Seared Ahi Tuna, canapés of Goat Cheese with multi colored peppers and homemade Spinach Dip, followed by an extravagant buffet dinner featuring their signature sirloin steaks, Norwegian salmon, grilled chicken, and a variety of freshly made side dishes.   Dessert offerings included classic cheese cake and carrot cake. ‘We at Outback Steakhouse love working with the Ann Liguori Foundation and everything Ann and her Foundation stand for,” says Jennifer Szewc, Joint Venture Partner, Outback Steakhouse New York. “Each year, Outbackers are so excited to be a part of Ann’s dinner dance in The Hamptons. It’s great fun and for a wonderful cause!”
 

From the outset the party was jumping with live entertainment provided by award winning singer- songwriter Dillon Dixon who played a combination of R&B, country and dance music. His songs have been recorded by George Jones, Restless Heart, Ronnie Milsap, Neal McCoy, Josh Gracin, and Rodney Atkins. His music has also been featured in film, including “Terminator 3,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” “The Crow 3,” and Wes Craven’s “Scream,” “Cursed,” and “Mimic.”  Dillon recently signed with Universal London.
 

The event was blessed with an extremely hard working committee who packed the house, filled the raffle tables with elegant gifts and bid heavily on the live auction items. Dinner Chairperson was Patricia Vallary and the committee included Barbara Anelle, Cliff Barthman, Edd Dilworth, Jan & Rich Grim, Sharon Bush, B J Carter. Carmine Calabro, Evelyn DeVito, Len Gallo, Liz Giordano, Daniel Liguori, Karen Loeffler, Lynda Packard, Jeffrey Ponzo, Frank & Rosemarie Pinto, Jean Skidgel, Mary Skillern, Michele Steudte, Diane Schwimmer, Scott Vallary, Jerry Williams, Ray & Joanne Zarras.
 

The live auction featured such wonderful experiences as opportunities to play at Shinnecock, Maidstone and Sebonack along with items such as dinner for four at Rao’s, jewelry, a silent auction with a variety of sports and entertainment memorabilia and an international raffle with all kinds of goodies.
 

Dancing the night away were NHL Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert and his wife Judy, Carolyn Kendall Buchter & her husband Ron Buchter, Mary Skillern, Former New York Jets Wesley Walker, Steve Gould with Bonnie Grice, WPPB 88.3 FM personality,  Hotel Indigo’s Rob Salvatico, Gabe & Nancy Vigorito, Jason & Diana McCarty, Donna Livingston, Gary De Persia, Dan Liguori, Eileen Casey,  Christine and Denis Sheahan,  Erin Muller, Petra and Hans Zobel, Gopa and Jay Dobson, Tim McCoy, Barbara Anelle,  and Dr. Max Gomez, medical correspondent, Channel 2 News,.

Proceeds raised will benefit The American Cancer Society’s Camp Adventure on Shelter Island, a camp for children with cancer and their siblings. The ALF also underwrites nutrition education programs in middle schools throughout the East End of Long Island and nutrition education assemblies performed by nutritionist/musician Jill Jayne, MS RD, and her Nutrition Education Through Entertainment program.

In addition to being the Founder and President of the Ann Liguori Foundation, Ann is the President of Ann Liguori Productions and hosts, produces and owns the longest running sports show by a woman: “Sports Innerview with Ann Liguori’ aired on regional sports cable networks throughout the country each week from 1989-2003. Her award-winning interviews with such legends as Mickey Mantle, Wilt Chamberlain, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Brett Favre, Charles Schulz and hundreds of others, are available on DVD and can be ordered by visiting the archives section of her web site, www.annliguori.com
 

Ann is the golf and tennis correspondent for WFAN Radio 660AM and will next cover the US Open Tennis Championships August 29-September 11. And each week, Ann hosts the radio version of ‘Sports Innerview with Ann Liguori’ heard every Saturday morning on WPPB 88.3 FM and globally on www.peconicpublicbroadcasting.org. In addition, Ann writes a weekly column for cbsnewyork.com: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/tag/ann-liguori/

Liguori, author of ‘A Passion for Golf, Celebrity Musings About the Game,’ is also a spokeswoman for Family Golf Challenge, on the Women’s Advisory Board of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center and in January of 2011, played in the Bob Hope Classic, becoming just the  4^th female celebrity in their 52-year history.