Lighthouse Guild Welcomes Supporters At Summer Evening In The Hamptons

Intimate Gathering Introduces New Friends and Supporters to the Organization’s Life-Changing Support for the Blind and Low-Vision Community 

(Quogue, New York, July 23, 2026) — Lighthouse Guild, a blind-led nonprofit helping people who are blind or have vision loss live independently, welcomed new friends and longtime supporters for a Summer Evening at the Quogue Club in the Hamptons on Thursday July 23rd, 2026.  

Hosted by Kelso Sutton, Linda Filardi, and Gary Talarico, long-time supporters of the organization, the gathering offered guests intimate conversation and an opportunity to learn more about Lighthouse Guild’s work and the life-changing impact of its programs. 

The evening brought together guests to hear from Lighthouse Guild President and CEO Thomas Panek and Chair of the Board Jim Dubin, who shared the organization’s commitment to expanding opportunity, independence, and possibility for people who are blind or have low vision. 

Co-host Kelso Sutton welcomed guests to the evening, emphasizing the importance of introducing new friends and supporters to the organization.  

Panek, who became Lighthouse Guild’s first blind President and CEO in 2025, reflected on the way he experiences the world as a man who has lost his vision and the purpose that now drives his leadership. Speaking alongside his guide dog, Shadow, Panek told the story of Amanda, a Lighthouse Guild student whose life changed after a medical crisis left her with significant vision loss. 

“The real work is helping someone finish what they started, so they can go build something with it,” Panek said. “A diploma. A skill. Eventually, a job that actually makes the most of their talents.” 

The evening concluded with a private dinner at Quogue’s famous Stone Creek Inn. 

ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE GUILD 

Lighthouse Guild helps people who are blind or have vision loss to live, work and shine by providing care, community and technology. Our vision is a society made better by their vitality and achievements of the blind and low-vision community. For more information, visit lighthouseguild.org.