On Wednesday, February 4, Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) hosted a kick-off cocktail and dinner at Le Bilboquet in the two-week runup to the Eighth Annual Race of Hope to Defeat Depression, a 5K Run/Walk that raises awareness and funds for mental health research.
HDRF Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss and HDRF Advisory Board member Scott Snyder were the hosts for the evening. They will also serve as Co-Grand Marshals for the Race, which will take place on Saturday, February 14 at 8 AM at Bradley Park in Palm Beach, FL.
The celebratory cocktail and dinner took place at Palm Beach’s beloved French bistro, Le Bilboquet. The entire evening was underwritten by an anonymous donor, allowing 100% of all funds raised by the Race of Hope to go directly to HDRF’s breakthrough depression research.
The celebration started in the restaurant’s beautiful outdoor courtyard, adorned with palm trees that swayed under the stars. Over 80 guests, including long-time supporters and a number of HDRF’s Junior Committee members, mingled during the two-hour cocktail reception, enjoying a delicious array of passed hors d’oeuvres, including Arancini Black Truffle with light aioli, Mini Shitake Red Onion Tarts, Salmon Gravlax, Blinis with King Crab Salad and Caviar, Colorado Lamb Skewers, and Crispy Shrimp with homemade sweet chili.
At the dinner reception, Audrey Gruss, HDRF Executive Director, Louisa Benton, and Scott Snyder welcomed guests and shared the latest breakthroughs from the HDRF Depression Task Force.
“We are incredibly thankful for your support of such a critical health issue, with more than one-third of adults nationwide being affected by depression and anxiety,” said Gruss. “Now celebrating our 20th year, HDRF has identified 20 genes that are linked to depression and anxiety, and we are now ready to translate these findings into new treatments.”
Gruss then introduced Benton, who spoke about the newly-launched Clinical Trial-Drug Discovery Program. She said, “Our 20th anniversary marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. After a decade of essential research in the laboratory, we are launching several pilot clinical trials to test our discoveries in actual patients. These groundbreaking studies are pushing the boundaries of science.”
Snyder added: “As a direct result of the generosity of the people in this room we are currently on track to exceed last year’s Race of Hope fundraising total of $1 million. Let’s keep this momentum going and we look forward to seeing everyone on Race day.”
After cocktails, the committee’s premier donors entered the restaurant, where they took their seats at tables decorated with beautiful arrangements of yellow roses, HDRF’s signature color.
The dinner menu included Le Crab & Avocado and either Le Poulet Cajun with mesclun and frites or Le Saumon with mushroom dumplings and dashi broth. For dessert, guests were served Les Profiteroles with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and caramelized almonds.
Committee members in attendance included Paola Bacchini, CeCe & Lee Black, Danielle & Ronald Bradley, Gita Costa, Barbara Crocker, Jacqueline W. Drake, Kim Fennebresque, Jennifer & David Fischer, Christina & Brian Flaherty, Jillian Gilmour, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Kaaren & Charles Hale, Ann Folliss Jeffery & Ralph Wilson, Eleanora Kennedy, Melanie & Roger Lawson, Ginger & Larry Leeds, Simone & David Levinson, Sharon H. Loeb, Nicola & Jeff Marcus, Laura & Henry McNamara, Muffy Miller, Sharleen & Maurice Moradof, Carole Moran, Joe G. Pacetti, Pam & Edward Pantzer, Stacey Pashcow & Marc Caputo, Sallie B. Phillips, Teresa & James Remez, Allison & Richard Roeder, Kara Ross, Nancy Schaffel, Christine Schott, Ginny & David Sydorick and Barbera Thornhill.
Junior Committee members in attendance included Chairs Grace & Randolph “Tally” Walker, Vice Chairs Katherine Lande & Kevin Condon, Bryan Ludwig, Hollis Bradley Pica, Grant Sory, Sarah Wetenhall and Committee members Carolina Buia Barefoot, Zoe Cacioppo, Stacey Leuliette Coffin, Samantha Curry, Linsey Walters Desich, Krista & Matthew Gorelik, Clementine Goutal, Jennifer Gowdy & Patrick Noone, Alex Hamer, Henry Hays, Kimberlee Knecht, Whitney Lovell Schott, Farrah Scott, Laine Siklos, Kirsten Smith, Natalie Smith and Alanna Sutherland.
Sponsors in attendance included Coastal Gardens, Grant Sory Real Estate, Gunster, Lilly Pulitzer, Livingston Builders, Marble of the World, Marissa Collections, NuView Health, Psychiatry of the Palm Beaches, Pure Skin Palm Beach, Robert and Perri Bishop Foundation, The Scout Guide, Top of Mind and Yafa Signed Jewels.
Other attendees included Bill Beadleston, HDRF Executive Director Louisa Benton, Chris Del Gatto & Veronica Webb, Thomas Donahue, Shannon Donnelly, Lora Drasner, Mira Fain & Craig Reynolds, Martin Gruss, Carl Hart, Ashley Lainhart, George Ledes, Jeffrey Leeds, Gray Marker, Sharleen & Maurice Moradof, Ursula Pitino, Adi Rappoport, Wiley Reynolds III, Christine Russell, David Smick, Jeff Sophir, Susan Taylor and Andrew Wetenhall.
For more information or to register for the 2025 race, visit: https://www.raceofhopeseries.com/.
Palm Beach Race of Hope Committee
Race of Hope Co-Grand Marshals: Audrey Gruss and Scott Snyder
Diamond Level: James Borynack & Adolfo Zaralegui, Marvin H. Davidson Foundation, Laura & Brent Nicklas, Stacey Pashcow & Marc Caputo, Teresa & James Remez
Platinum Level: Perri & Bob Bishop, Becky & F. William Bryan, Gita & Mark Costa, Phillippe & Deborah Dauman, Kim Fennebresque, Christina & Brian Flaherty, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Charles & Kaaren Hale, Simone & David Levinson, Nicola & Jeffrey Marcus, Henry & Laura McNamara
Jane & Carl Panattoni, Alina de Almeida & John Paulson, Thomas C. Quick Charitable Foundation & Michael Donnell, Tricia Quick, Allison & Richard Roeder, Barbera Hale Thornhill and Lynne Wheat.
Gold Level: Paola Bacchini & Arnold Rosenshein, CeCe & Lee Black, Wendy & Howard Cox, Jacqueline W. Drake, The Honorable David Fischer & Jennifer Fischer, Frances Fisher, Cindy & Chris Galvin, Jillian Gilmour, Yaz & Valentin Hernandez, Ann F. Jeffrey, Melanie & Roger Lawson, Ginger & Larry Leeds, Ambassador & Mrs. John L. Loeb, Jr., Muffy Miller, Carol Moran, Joe G. Pacetti, Pamela & Edward Pantzer, Sallie B. Phillips, Katharine Rayner, Kara Ross, Frances G. Scaife, Christine Schott, Barbara & Randall Smith, Taylor Family Foundation and Maria Zoullas-Kaufman.
Silver Level: Robin Baker Leacock, Geoffrey N. Bradfield, Susie & Vere Gaynor, Hilary Geary Ross, Barbara & Alan Glatt, Darcy Gould, Ms. Pamela Gross & Mr. James Finkelstein, J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Foundation, Jayne T. Keith, Eleanora Kennedy, Sarah Salter Levy & Steven D. Levy, Stephanie Loeffler, Meg McCartney, Lucia Nielsen Musso, Richard & Jane Novick, Jeffrey Pfeifle & David Granville, Joanna Roland, Diane & David Sammons, Nancy B. Schaffel, Betsy & Wally Turner, Lis Waterman, Nancy Yanofsky & Ed Brown, Clelia & Tom Zacharias, Matthew Ailey & Greg Zaffiro, and Richard Ziegelasch.
Palm Beach Race of Hope Junior Committee
Honorary Chair: Callie Baker Holt, Nick Mele
Chairs: Grace and Tally Walker
Vice Chairs: Bettina Anderson, Chloe Pearl Glaser, Callie Baker Holt, Katherine Lande & Kevin Condon, Bryan Ludwig, Hollis Bradley Pica, Grant Sory and Sarah Wetenhall.
Committee: Carolina Buia Barefoot, Zoe Cacioppo, Chris Coffee, Stacey & David-William Coffin, Samantha Curry, Linsey Walters Desich,, Erin Donnelley, CeCe Glatt, Mary Goode, Krista & Matthew Gorelick, Clementine Goutal, Jennifer Gowdy & Patrick Noone, Maggi Haigh, Alexander Hamer, Henry Hays, Francesca Jabbour, Kimberlee Knecht, Jennifer Lourie, Taylor Materio Matthew McVay, Nick & Molly Mele, Matt Oleszczuk, PJ Quick Pollack & Kristina Titova, Whitney Lovell Schott, Jared Seligman, Kirsten Smith, Natalie Smith, Alanna Sutherland and Eric Viner.
Palm Beach Race of Hope Sponsors
Coastal Gardens, Environmental Design Group, Findlay Galleries, Grant Sory Real Estate, Gunster, Hamilton Jewelers, Kinder in the Keys Treatment Center, Le Bilboquet, Lilly Pulitzer, Livingston Builders, Love Binetti, Marble of the World, Marissa Collections, NovaLuna Mental Health, NuView Health, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Palm Beach Illustrated, Psychiatry of the Palm Beaches, Pure Skin Palm Beach, Robert and Perri Bishop Foundation, Rubinson-Glaser Family, Smith & Elkin CPAS, Tammy Fender, The Breakers, The Scout Guide, and Top of Mind.
ABOUT HOPE FOR DEPRESSION RESEARCH FOUNDATION (HDRF)
HDRF was founded in 2006 by philanthropist Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. The mission of the HDRF is to spur the most innovative brain research into the origins, medical diagnosis, new treatments, and prevention of depression and its related mood disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and suicide. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and yet conventional medications today are outdated and do not fully work for 50% of patients. HDRF is working tirelessly to improve the mental health landscape for every American. The Foundation has provided more than $80 million for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented. In 2012, HDRF created the Depression Task Force, an international collaboration of reputable neuroscientists from different universities who are compiling data and expertise to accelerate research. HDRF has two clinical trials underway for potential novel antidepressants at Mount Sinai Medical Center and Max Planck Institute in Germany. Other clinical trials for novel therapies are in the pipeline at Columbia University and Weill Cornell.
