Glassybaby votives; a collection of colors; Gina Hadley
THE PROVENANCE of Glassybaby—the company behind the wildly popular glass votives of the same name—traces back to its founder and creator, Lee Rhodes. When the first Glassybaby appeared in 1998, Rhodes was in the midst of her third bout with cancer. Inspired by the light a tea candle threw when popped inside the glass vessel, she knew she had found something special.
But it was the realization that those dealing with cancer needed help with simple day-to-day necessities like bus fares, groceries and laundry that gave birth to Glassybaby’s charitable arm. Today 10 percent of the company’s gross sales from its store promotions and “goodwill” colors—like Goldenrod (M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), Bedford Brown (Martha Stewart Center for Living) and BFF (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)—go to various charities, many dealing with cancer. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been given in support.
“It is at the core of this company to give back,” says Rhodes. “But when I founded Glassybaby, I never knew these little glass votives would have such an impact on people touched by cancer.”
The response has been tremendous. Fans drawn to the simplicity of the product and its causes helped sell $2.5 million worth of votives last year. And the message is spreading to the Hamptons, where the Glassybaby aesthetic and its commitment to giving fit right in.
“I’ve spent all of my summers in Sag Harbor,” says Gina Hadley, a Glassybaby consultant focused on New York City and Hamptons outreach. “It’s the beauty and serenity of the East End that brought my parents out here, and it’s what keeps me coming back now that I have a family. It’s also exactly what Glassybaby means to me. Lee founded Glassybaby in a search for peace and calm, and it’s the quiet moments of the summer I cherish the most.”
This summer Glassybaby can be found on tables at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton and at charitable events throughout the Hamptons, including the cocktail party and auction for Ellen’s Run and the Phoenix House Summer Party. And it’s all part of a mission that goes far beyond a simple votive.
“I’m thrilled we’ll be lighting up so many important charity events this summer,” says Hadley. “But I’m also hoping that Glassybaby will bring light and love to all the dinner parties, backyard barbecues and quiet nights on the deck that make summer in the Hamptons so magical.” Available at Sylvester & Co., 103 Main St., Sag Harbor, 631-725-5012; glassybaby.com
