Montauk Pioneer - August 29, 2008

While the Montauk Village Association members are busy keeping Montauk beautiful, they always manage to pull off a great party in one of the most beautiful locations. This year was no exception, with last Saturday's annual "Drinks By The Links," at the top of the Montauk Downs State Park.

About 200 people congregated along the outdoor balcony, and inside the Downs, overlooking the greens at sunset.

Many long-time MVA members were present, including Gail Webb, John Keeshan and his daughter Nancy, as well as Trace Duryea, Jean Ruggles and Marge Harvey.

Walking through the crowd was Howard Friend, former pastor of the Montauk Community Church, with his wife, Betsy.

"I still remember those wonderful Greenery Scenery Cocktail parties held both here and at the Montauk Manor, when they used to have the celebrity bartenders," said Howard, who had preached in Montauk during the 1960s when these popular events were at their peak, and drew over a thousand people. Former celebrity bartenders included Edward Albee, Dick Cavett, Catherine Helmond, Jimmy Dean, Leslie Gore and Christie Brinkley.

This year, the MVA gave an award to a local celebrity, Anne Vasti, for her many years of dedicated service to this organization as a member and a former director. Vasti came to Montauk in 1939, as one of ten children with her mother and father, who was a funeral director from the Bronx, Ralph Giordano. As an entrepreneur, he bought and ran several businesses in Montauk throughout the years, including the Lakeside Inn, the Pizza Village, and a summer colony in Ditch Plains. Anne worked in both the Lakeside Inn and Pizza Village with her late husband Dan Vasti, and spent many hours making her delicious Italian recipes in the kitchen.

But outside the kitchen, aside from raising her children, Dr. Dan Vasti, Montauk's dentist, and Joann Guarneri, Anne became active in the community as director of both the Chamber of Commerce and the Montauk Village Association. As director of the MVA, she helped beautify Montauk, working alongside Gail Webb, Bettie Duryea and Mary Pospisil. They planted many trees and flowers along Main Street in the business district, and helped to start the first "Greenery-Scenery Cocktail Party," the MVA's main fund-raising event, which became a huge success over the next several decades.

Anne also got her real estate license and sold real estate in Montauk for awhile, and also helped in her family's businesses.

About two years ago, she moved to Summerville, S.C. to be near her daughter, son-in-law and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

At the "Drinks By The Links" party, Anne Vasti was presented with a distinguished service award and with flowers.

"I'm so honored to get this award, and I'm so grateful to the MVA," she said. "It's so great being back in Montauk, seeing my old friends here. I hope this organization continues to do well. They have wonderful, dedicated members. Montauk will always be my home."

Vasti was joined by several members of her family, including her daughter, Joann and son-in-law, Joe Guarneri, her son, Dan Vasti and his wife Barbara, and by her nephews, Jack Perna and Chip Stewart.

Another highlight of this event, was the announcement of the winner of a $20,000 raffle prize, which caught Dolores Barile, of Montauk, by complete surprise.

"I can't believe it!" she screamed, when her name was called. Shaking and smiling, she walked up to receive her large prize, as everyone applauded.

When asked if she'd ever won a prize before, she said, "I once won $500 in the Bonanza Bucks drawing at the Montauk Firehouse. And I thought that was a lot, until now."

When asked what she would do with her prize, she laughed, "I'll give some to my relative. Then I'll decide."

The Montauk Village Association is a non-profit civic organization, which started in 1961, for the purpose of furthering charitable, literary and educational projects of a public nature, including the acquisition, improvement, and care of lands, beaches, ponds, and structures for public uses.