“We are recognizing the unsung heroes,” T.J. Calabrese, vice president of the Hampton Lifeguard Association, said before taking the stage at a fund-raiser for the group on Saturday at the Amagansett Life-Saving and Coast Guard Station.
At the start of the fund-raiser, most of the “unsung heroes” did not know that they were to be recognized for their efforts later in the night.
One of them was Tom Field, who, in 40 years as an instructor, had trained many thousands of lifeguards in CPR and first aid. When introducing Mr. Field, John Ryan Jr., president of the H.L.A., noted that Mr. Field had trained an estimated 100,000 individuals. “I think the 100,000 is a little bit of a stretch,” said Mr. Field as he approached the stage, the microphone turned off, before repeating it to a laughing crowd.
The lifeguard association’s mission is to “waterproof Long Island’s South Fork” through education, training, and support of lifeguards and lifeguarding programs.
On Saturday it also honored Tom Casse, who made a dramatic save in Montauk in August 2022. Mr. Casse was out for dinner at Ditch Plain when a friend heard faint cries for help. A trained lifeguard, he went to the water’s edge, swam toward the cries, and after half an hour located a 32-year-old woman who had been caught in a rip current near the jetty and brought her safely to shore.
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., who has represented East Hampton in the New York State Assembly for almost 30 years and will retire from office at the end of this year, was recognized for his efforts “in getting New York State to recognize [Jet Skis] as rescue equipment,” which has reduced rescue response times.
Besides recognizing the unsung heroes, the fund-raiser also focused heavily on the importance of educating the community about safety. “The best way to waterproof a community is to educate,” Mr. Ryan said, mentioning the East Hampton Town Junior Lifeguard program, which teaches ocean safety and lifeguarding skills to young people from ages 9 to 15.
Toward the end of the event, the film producer Regina Scully went onstage to present the Dominic Kulick Foundation Scholarship to Liam Knight, an East Hampton teenager and lifeguard at Atlantic Avenue Beach in Amagansett who has been selected to compete with the United States team in the Lifesaving World Championship in Australia. The scholarship will help pay for Mr. Knight’s travel and lodging expenses.