The high-energy crowd set out at 8:30 AM to complete a tree-lined 5K course around Lake Agawam. Race Co-Grand Marshals Sailor Brinkley Cook, Jack Brinkley Cook, HDRF Founder Audrey Gruss, and Board member Arthur Dunnam led the way. The USA Track and Field-sanctioned race raised more than $275,000 for advanced depression research, setting a new record for the event.

Speaking from the steps of the Southampton Cultural Center just before the starting gun, HDRF Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss said, “In the United States, depression is the leading cause of suicide, and affects more than 18-million adults each year. Among teens, depression and suicide rates are the highest on record. We are working to turn the tide on depression and suicide in this country, but we can’t do it without your help, so thank you all for coming out to support the cause today.”

Hope was in abundant supply as everybody sported caps and tech shirts in HDRF’s signature sunshine yellow. The competitive runners, joined by Sailor Brinkley Cook and Jack Brinkley Cook, burst through the starting line, followed by first-time runners, walkers, corporate teams, families, children, and plenty of canine friends.

Following the race, Audrey Gruss and her team presented medals for best times in various age categories. Dan Gargaro won the best time in the Adult Male category, and Tara Farrell won the best time in the Adult Female category. Griffin Schwartz, age 13, won for best youth male (13-15), and Lily Kurmanick, age 13, won for best youth female (13-15). Gruss then presented Arthur Dunnam with an award for Top Fundraising Team, and Scott Snyder with an award for Top Individual Fundraiser. Kim Heirston received the runner up award, and a notable mention highlighting that $10,000 of the funds she had raised had been donated by Oprah Winfrey.

All race participants received a shirt, finisher medal, reflective race hat and a long-sleeve 1/4 zip pullover.  The first, second, and third place winners received cash prizes of up to $500. Successful fundraisers also received prizes for raising upwards of $250 and $1,000.

This year’s Race of Hope once again was the grand finale of the Week of Hope, a village-wide campaign in Southampton to raise mental health awareness.  The Week was launched on Thursday, July 25, at Ralph Lauren. Two hundred local business owners including Brook’s Brothers, J. Crew, The White Company, the Southampton Arts Center, the Southampton Chamber of Commerce, and Southampton Town Hall “turned yellow” by placing two-foot-wide yellow statement balloons (environmentally safe and re-usable) by their front door to symbolize hope and their commitment to changing the staggering statistics around depression.

Additional Race participants included: The Watermill Center’s Robert Wilson, Southampton Hospital’s Steve Bernstein, Hilary Geary Ross, Marigay McKee and Bill Ford, Lisa M. Aery, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Martin Gruss, Campion Platt and his children, Samantha Gregory and Roberto Benabib with their daughter, Carolina Gregory-Benabib, Somers Farkas, Janna Bullock, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Carol Mack, Tom and Clelia Zacharias, Susan and Joe Meyer, Serena Bowman, Nona Collin and Karen and Richard LeFrak.

The Race of Hope was supported by Southampton residents including Jamee and Peter Gregory, Kim Heirston, Leonard and Judy Lauder, Marigay McKee and Bill Ford, Kitty & Bill McKnight III, Thomas C. Quick, Scott Snyder, Lisa M. Aery,Serena Bowman, Sharon Bush, Susan Gutfreund, Yaz and Valentin Hernandez, The Honorable and Mrs. Earle Mack, Margo M. and James L. Nederlander, Robert Nederlander, Hilary Geary Ross, and Clelia and Tom Zacharias.

The Race of Hope starts the lead-in to HDRF’s 13^thAnnual Luncheon Seminar which will be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The event will focus on “Depression and Anxiety; Diagnosis and Latest Treatments,” and will salute the research progress of HDRF’s acclaimed team of world-renowned brain researchers.

Audrey Gruss founded HDRF in April 2006 in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. Today, HDRF is the leading nonprofit organization focused solely on depression research and public education. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, but despite its prevalence, depression is still misunderstood, underfunded and under-researched. The mission of the HDRF is to fund innovative neuroscience 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.

To date, HDRF has provided more than $30-million through over 125 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented.

What is HDRF, and a quick overview of their work/achievements in the past decade:

·        HDRF is the leading non-profit dedicated solely to advanced depression research.

·        Audrey Gruss founded the organization in 2006 in memory of her mother, Hope, who struggled with depression.

·        The mission of HDRF is to fund cutting-edge neuroscience research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of depression and other related mood disorders.

·        In 2010, HDRF launched its Depression Task Force – a collaboration of seven leading scientists, at the frontiers of brain science, from different research institutions across the U.S. and Canada. To accelerate breakthrough research, they share ongoing results, in real-time, at the HDRF Data Center.

About Depression:

·        In the United States, depression affects more than 20-million adults each year – that is one in ten adults.

·        Depression is the leading cause of suicide. In the United States, one person dies by suicide every 12 minutes – over 41,000 people per year.

·        Depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide.

·        Depression costs society $210-billion annually – 60% of which represents reduced efficiency at work and costs related to suicide.

The Crisis in Research and Treatment

·        More than 50% of those diagnosed with depression do not respond to existing treatments.   

·        Although depression is one of the most serious and prevalent conditions in the US, it is ranked 77th (out of 250) in the amount of federal funding it receives.

·        Most of the major pharmaceutical companies have discontinued brain research.

What Makes HDRF Different

·        The Depression Task Force represents the most innovative approach to neuroscience research today.

·        The Task Force has created an unprecedented research plan with each member executing a piece of the plan in their laboratories. They are not going down well-worn paths of research. They have identified major challenges in the field and are laser-focused on the areas where the field is stuck.

·        They share results in real-time at a centralized data bank. This allows them to leverage data to accelerate research. This is unheard of in the entire scientific research field which is normally competitive and not collaborative.

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Sunday, January 27, 2019

Mother Nature tried but failed to deter hundreds of intrepid souls who came out in pouring rain and hurricane wind for the Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s (HDRF) Inaugural Palm Beach Race of Hope 5K on Sunday, January 27, 2019.

While a nearby state fair saw a rare closing for weather, more than 300 participants of all ages gathered at 8AM at Palm Beach’s Royal Poinciana Plaza to walk or run the 5K Race and take a stand for depression awareness. The crowd included Inside Edition‘s Deborah Norville, Martin Gruss, Bill Bone, Michael Donnell, Tatiana and Campion Platt, Felicia Taylor, Carlos Morrison, and Tom and Clelia Zacharias.

The 3.1-mile Race began at The Royal Poinciana Plaza, the event’s lead sponsor, and continued along the North Lake Trail and through the streets of Palm Beach. Along the way, participants were greeted by signs with words of encouragement from celebrities, including Anderson Cooper, Lorraine Bracco and Brooke Shields, who have been honored by HDRF for speaking out about depression.

Hope was in abundant supply as everybody wore bright tech shirts and matching caps in HDRF’s signature sunshine yellow. The USA Track and Field-sanctioned event raised over $275,000 to fund groundbreaking research into the causes of depression in the brain and new and better treatments.

Meanwhile, just across the bridge in West Palm Beach, the South Florida Fair was closed for weather for the first time in over ten years.

Speaking from the starting line, HDRF Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss said, “There is a native American saying that says, ‘Anybody who thinks sunshine creates happiness has never danced in the rain. Depression is the number-one reason in the world for disability, and the leading cause of suicide.”

Scott Snyder, who along with Audrey Gruss was a Race Co-Grand Marshal, then added: “So we want to thank you all for coming out to dance in the rain with us today.  Our research is leading to discoveries that can turn the tide on depression and suicide in this country.”

Following the race, Audrey Gruss and Scott Snyder presented medals for best times in various age categories. John Schilkowsky won the best time in the Adult Male category, Stephanie Pezzullo won best time in the Adult Female category, and Dylan Pitchford took home the Youth award. Gruss then presented awards to the top individual fundraiser Trish Glowacki, and an award for Top Fundraising TeamSister Sledge, which included Trish Glowacki, Kimberly Bitterman and Kristina McCooey.

Momentum for the Race grew in the run-up with the Week of Hope – an initiative that launched on January 18 when 40 business owners at The Royal Poinciana Plaza placed a two-foot wide yellow statement balloon by their front door to symbolize hope and their commitment to changing the statistics around depression.

The message was amplified by activities held throughout the week. SoulCycle hosted a Week of Hope ride and Michael Kors Collection hosted an exclusive shopping event where 20% of proceeds were donated HDRF.

The Race of Hope comes to Palm Beach Race as part of a multi-city expansion after three years of success in Southampton, NY. The next Race of Hope will take place in New York City on April 7, 2019. It will then continue in Southampton in the summer.

The Race of HOPE was supported by its Committee: Donna and William Acquavella, Julie Araskog, Mashi and Manucher Azmudeh, Bruce Bierman and William Secord, Robert Bishop, James Borynackand Adolfo Zaralegui, Janet and J.J. Cafaro, Annabelle and Denis Coleman, Howard Cox, Deborah and Philippe Dauman, Mrs. Marvin Davidson, Jackie Weld Drake, Diana and Llwyd Ecclestone, Michaeland Annie Falk, Tina Fanjul, Alexander Federbush, Frances and Jeffrey Fisher, William Flaherty, Gay and Stanley Gaines, Susie and Vere Gaynor, Judith Giuliani, Roni and Gerry Goldsmith, Mrs. Todd Goodwin, Darcy Gould, Myrna Haft, Mai Hallingby, Alexia Hamm Ryan, Ira and Nicki Harris, Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Johnson, Y. Michele Kang, Eleanora Kennedy, Iris and William Kontes, Dr. Ernst andNataly Langner, Ambassador and Mrs. Howard Leach, Susan Lloyd, Karin Luter, Carol Mack, Nicola and Jeff Marcus, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Susan and Joseph Meyer, Muffy and Donald Miller, Reneeand Carlos Morrison, Lucy Musso, Linda Olsson, Jeff Pfeifle and Dave Granville, Amy and John Phelan, Sallie Phillips, Pauline Pitt, Dan Ponton, Tom Quick, Hilary Geary Ross, Frances Scaife, Dan andMary Stanton, Debbie and Jack Thomas, Lis Waterman, Lynne Wheat and Thomas Petterfy, Clelia and Thomas Zacharias, and Jere Zenko. The Race of Hope Junior Committee is Loy Anderson, Bettina Anderson, Samantha Cerny, Tanner Cline, Nick Coniglio, Andres Fanjul, Blayre Farakas, Sean Flannery, Brandy Billinghurst, Sabra Kirpatrick, Wyatt Koch, Robert Leidy, Chris Levitt, Whitney McGurk,Brandon Phillips, Robert Riva, Nic Roldan, and David Thompson.\

Audrey Gruss founded HDRF in April 2006 in memory of her mother Hope, who struggled with clinical depression. Today, HDRF is the leading nonprofit organization focused solely on depression research and public education. The World Health Organization has declared depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, but despite its prevalence, depression is still misunderstood, underfunded and under-researched. The mission of the HDRF is to fund innovative neuroscience 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.

To date, HDRF has provided more than $30-million through over 125 grants for breakthrough depression research that promises to transform the way depression is viewed, diagnosed, treated and prevented.

What is HDRF, and a quick overview of their work/achievements in past decade:

What Makes HDRF Different

• The Depression Task Force represents the most innovative approach to neuroscience research today.
• The Task Force has created an unprecedented research plan with each member executing a piece of the plan in their own laboratories. They are not going down well-worn paths of research. They have identified major challenges in the field and are laser focused on the areas where the field is stuck.
• They share results in real time at a centralized data bank. This allows them to leverage data to accelerate research. This is unheard of in the entire scientific research field which is normally competitive and not collaborative.

About The Royal Poinciana Plaza

The Royal Poinciana Plaza is an iconic destination that serves as a jewel box oasis in the heart of beautiful Palm Beach. Built in the late 1950s, it stands today as a landmarked property and one of Palm Beach’s most treasured architectural gems. With 180,000 square feet of retail space and lush, sprawling gardens, it offers a unique international shopping and entertainment destination for indulgence, inspiration, and retreat. Designed by world-renowned architect John Volk, The Royal echoes some of Europe’s legendary retail destinations like the Palais Royal in Paris. The property has been carefully restored to its original mid-century glamour while remaining true to its retail roots. Its offerings will include a unique mix of luxury retail, fashion, dining and entertainment, along with amenities for both local and international visitors.  Arranged around two beautiful courtyards with outdoor furniture, palm trees and gardens, The Royal provides a destination for guests to enjoy outdoor events, read the paper, sip a coffee, gather with family and friends, shop or dine. For more information, visit www.theroyalpoincianaplaza.com or discover more on Instagram @theroyalpoincianaplaza.

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Robbie Gordy of Christie’s

This year’s honorees were Jean Shafiroff, Humanitarian, Author and Philanthropist, who received the Humanitarian with Heart Award. Jean paid tribute to the American Heart Association saying she was involved in the AHA because of her departed father, who “despite having a heart attack at 51 had survived until 94 in part due to good heart health.” Also honored was Dr. Frank Spencer, MD, Professor of Surgery, at NYU Langone Medical Center with the Distinguished Service Award as the most significant pioneer in surgical therapy who has almost single handedly brought contemporary heart surgery to the New York area. This year’s Hamptons Heart Ball was chaired by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, Nicole Noonan, Randi Schatz, and Tracy Stern. The three course dinner was catered by the Garden City Hotel.

Jean Shafiroff and Dr. Frank Spencer

Meredith Cohen, Tracy Stern, Consuelo Costin, Nicole Noonan and Randi Schatz

Lonnie Quinn, Chief Weather Caster and Kristine Johnson, News Anchor, CBS 2 News, Emmy-Winning TV served as Master of Ceremonies.

Lonnie Quinn, Jean Shafiroff and Kristine Johnson

The live auction, conducted by Robbie Gordy of Christie’s, included fabulous items such as a heart shaped ruby and diamond ring and a VIP ski trip to Aspen. The special appeal brought Star Jones to her feet as she helped the American Heart Association raise significant dollars.

Star Jones and Dr. Jean Cacciabaudo

Some of the Committee members and guests included: Bert and Meredith Cohen, John and Terry Tortorella, David and Jill Kandell, Arnie and Paola Rosenshein, Star Jones, Dr. Aubrey Galloway, Dr. Leonard Girardi, Dr.Jeff Moses, Dr. John Pearson, and Dr. Larry Chinitz, John and Margo Catsimatidis, Dottie Herman, Debra Halpert, Dr. Greenberg, Cassandra Seidenfeld and Susan Shin.

Event Committee

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Jeff Dickhaus, Keith Pollock, Alexandra Lebenthal and Alexandra Beitel

Hosted by Alexandra Lebenthal and Jay Diamond, guests included Charlie Rose, who was the first person to arrive, Bob Morris, Lucy Danziger, Keith Pollock, Maneesh Goyal, Brian Ellner, Nick Scandalios and Debbie and Phil Grucci. 

As they arrived guests were treated to cocktails and light bites provided by Abigail Kirsch Catering Relationships. Midway through, the Club’s Executive Director Sybil Mimy Johnson, thanked “attendees, organizers, board of directors, sponsors and staff for their work in producing such a fantastic event. She continued to say, “tonight was about putting on a party with a purpose, and the purpose is the BGCBA’s important mission that our youth reach their full potential.” She then introduced the club’s Youth of the Month Cameron Trent, who told guests that he had “run for the school board in the past year, and that his success so far, was only the beginning, but he would not have been able to do it without the BGCBA.”

Sybil Mimy Johnson and Christina Colas

Following the speeches, host committee member Terence Noonan lead the “Art of Summer” themed auction that boasted items including an African Safari that sold for $5,500. Guests were then escorted outside where they enjoyed an awe-inspiring private show from Fireworks by Grucci that was donated by Alexandra Lebenthal after she won them in last year’s auction with a bid of $9,000. Immediately following the show, guests then enjoyed a performance from the BGCBA’s dance troop, Royal Nova. Over 40 youths aged 10-17 years performed a synchronized routine to Pitbull’s tracks, ‘Fireball,’ and ‘All the Way Up.’

Terence Noonan and Stacy Rader

Royal Nova Dancers

Additional guests included Hwasoon and Michael Mullaney – BGCBA Board President, Diane and Hank Braun – BGCBA Director, Barry Podgorsky – BGCBA Beach Ball Chair and Director, Louann Tuzza – BGCBA Director. TheBGCBA’s host committee also includes Dana Buchman – designer, Amanda Burden, Francisco Costa, Sir Colin Callender CBE – producer, Tricia Foley – lifestyle authority, Bruce Pask and Isabella Rossellini.

Hwasoon Mullaney

The BGCBA has been operating since 1965.  The Club serves over 850 members, between the ages of 5-19, and other youth through various annual activities. Members are young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances; nearly three-quarters of household incomes are $19,000 or less. All proceeds from the Beach Ball contribute to the operating expenses of the Boys & Girls Clubhouse and ensure that over 850 children, ages 5 through 19 have a safe place to learn, grow and most importantly, feel a sense of belonging and community.  Please visit http://www.bgcbellport.org for further details.

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