St. Stephen’s Educational Trust hosts annual cocktail party on May 23

WARWICK — The St. Stephen’s Educational Trust will celebrate the seventeenth anniversary of its annual cocktail party and the trust’s 21st anniversary on Thursday evening, May 23, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The festive event, featuring an open bar, creative hors d’oeuvres and musical entertainment for three hours, has been held every year for the past 17 years at the Landmark Inn on Route 94 between the Villages of Warwick and Florida.

One of the biggest attractions is the variety and quality of the appetizers. And Mike DiMartino, the award-winning chef/owner of the Landmark Inn, will again prepare his creative selection of hors d’oeuvres.

By popular demand, Richard Wiggins, a nightclub style singer/pianist, returns to provide the musical entertainment for the evening. Wiggins currently performs at Dautaj in Warwick.

The master of ceremonies for the evening will again be local radio and television personality Dick Wells.

The St. Stephen’s - St. Edward’s Educational Trust was created 20 years ago to help finance educational programs at the tuition supported elementary school.

Parents who choose to send their children to St. Stephen’s are also obligated to pay the same school taxes as everyone else. The educational trust helps relieve some of that financial pressure by providing funds for additional equipment and materials.

The organization has also developed a need-based scholarship program.

“Over the years,” said Ed Scharfenberger, president of the trust, “members of the business community like Mike DiMartino, owner of the Landmark Inn, have been generous in lending support to this annual event and it has not gone unnoticed. The trustees of the St. Stephen’s - St. Edward’s Educational Trust have traditionally designated the annual event as ‘Community Appreciation Night.”

Tickets for the cocktail party are $45 and the net proceeds from the event will be used for credits against the book bills for each student registered for the fall term.

For tickets and information, call Ann Marie Moore at 986-9190.