Palm Beach Insider: Cross-generation reception honors 5K's junior committee members

The ocean-to-lake home of Audrey and Marty Grusswas the setting for a reception honoring the junior committee of the Race of Hope to Defeat Depression.

The event took place Jan. 17 at Villa Delfino, which was filled with massive arrangements of roses in shades of yellow, the signature color of the Hope For Depression Research Foundation.

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HDRF Founding Chair Audrey Gruss, HDRF advisory board member Scott Snyder, and Palm Beach junior committee chairman PJ Quick Pollack hosted the event, which included sunset cocktails on the lakefront terrace, passed hors d'oeuvres, food stations, a dessert table, and music by DJ MandyyBeck.

Each of the hosts offered brief remarks.

"You are here tonight because you are supporters of the most important health and humanitarian issue not only in the U.S., but in the world today,” said Gruss, who, with Snyder, served as grand marshal of the race.

“The latest research confirms that one-third of Americans are struggling with depression and anxiety right now.  HDRF is leading the way in urgently needed brain research to find the root causes of depression and new and better treatments,” she said.

Added Snyder, “Tonight we celebrate HDRF’s Junior Committee members and their commitment to mental health awareness and research. They are our future. They are not afraid to speak openly about mental health, and they are supporting research that will revolutionize the treatment and prevention of clinical depression and anxiety for the next generation.”

"I’m excited to spearhead efforts for a cause that is so important to me and my peers,” said Quick Pollack. “Young adults are struggling with high rates of depression and anxiety. My generation wants to make sure that everyone realizes that it is okay to speak out about depression and to seek help. We need to be here for each other, and we need to support innovative research into new and better treatments so that one day we might get clinical depression under control.”

More than 75 people attended, including junior committee co-chairs Callie Baker Holt, Katherine Lande, Kevin Condon, Mona Nasser, Hollis Bradley Pica, and Casey Taylor; committee members Bettina Anderson, Nathan Coe, Sarah Cooke, Samantha Curry, Clementine Goutal, Jennifer Gowdy, Maggi Haigh, Bryan Ludwig, Elizabeth H. Marshman, Devon McCready, Nick Mele, Turner Mistretta, Matt Oleszczuk, Jack Rooney, Whitney Schott, Kirsten Smith, Ivy Sophir, Jane Stevens, Alanna Sutherland, and Grace and Tally Walker; as well as Nancy Argott, Louisa Benton, Charles and Kaaren Hale, Alex Hamer, John Hendrickson, Amy Hoadley, Caroline and Omeed Malik,  Will Mueller, Karen Murray, Jeff Pfeifle, Christine Schott, Bibi Siegel, Eddy Taylor, Matthew Ailey and Greg Zaffiro.

The Race of Hope to Defeat Depression, a 5K Run and Walk to raise awareness and funds for mental health research, took place Feb. 17. More than 1,000 people participated.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Hope for Depression Research Foundation honors junior members