11th Annual Race Of Hope To Defeat Depression In Southampton Welcomes 1000 Participants & Raises Over $500,000 For Depression Research

The Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s 11th Annual 5K Race of Hope brought together 1,000 men, women, and children on Sunday, August 2, in Southampton Village in support of research and mental health awareness. The Race raised over $500,000 for research into new and improved treatments for depression and anxiety.

In the week leading up to the Race, HDRF launched Week of Hope, a village-wide campaign in Southampton to raise mental health awareness. Local retailers displayed large, yellow HOPE flags in front of their stores to support HDRF and show their commitment to the issue of mental health. The Week also included HDRF’s annual HOPE Summer Seminar with acclaimed psychologist Dr. Michael Pantalon, who spoke on “How to Motivate Anyone to do Anything Fast.” He joined HDRF founder and Hamptons resident, Audrey Gruss, to speak about how to help ourselves and others discover their own powerful reasons for change and make an action plan, even for those who are resistant to support.

Gruss served as Grand Marshal of the 5K Walk/Run, which is a USA Track and Field-sanctioned event. At the opening ceremony, Gruss said, “Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the biggest risk factor for suicide. By participating in our Race today, you’re supporting lifesaving research and bringing hope to millions.” She continued, “Every dollar raised supports cutting-edge research to develop a new generation of antidepressant treatments.”

Hope and excitement filled the air as participants took off from the starting line to complete the scenic 3.1-mile course around Lake Agawam and through the tree-lined streets of Southampton. Dressed in HDRF’s signature sunshine-yellow T-shirts and caps, runners and walkers created a vibrant sea of yellow in support of mental health awareness. Before and after the Race, participants and spectators enjoyed coffee from the Sage & Madison Coffee Truck, sponsored by Chris Coffee of Sage & Madison in Sag Harbor.

At the close of the Race, Audrey Gruss handed out awards in several categories, including First Prize for best male to Jordan Daniel with a time of 14:41.56 and First Prize for the best female time to Katelyn Jabban with a time of 19:38.21. The award for Top Individual Fundraiser went to Shelley Bergman, who raised $65,448. The award for the Top Team Fundraiser went to Team Argento, who raised $14,179. The award for the largest team went to Team Fleming with 43 members. Second and third place awards were given to Team Michelle Farmer, who raised $4,495, followed by Team Le Bilboquet, who raised $1,385.

The first 950 participants to pick up their gear received an HDRF-branded ultra-lightweight jacket, hat and race shirt. All racers received a finisher medal.

Race participants included Kristi Beattie, Shelley Bergman, Janna Bullock, Diego Binetti, Sky and Sage Chambers, Annie and Michael Falk, Michelle and Peter Farmer, Christina Flaherty, Richard LeFrak, Chloe Pearl Glaser, Jamee and Peter Gregory, Josh, Dylan and Brady Gruss, Kim Heirston, Charlotte Hemmerly, Nastasha Jefferies, Yan and Kenton Kilmer, Vania Leles, Bryan Ludwig, Meg & James McCartney, Matthew McVay, Susan Mortimer, Margo and James Nederlander, Hollis Bradley Pica, Tatiana and Campion Platt, Teresa and James Remez, Vlad Rozsypal, Alyson Shrikhande, Laine Siklos, Susan Taylor, Donna Tona and Lis Waterman.

This year marks the foundation’s 20th anniversary. For the past two decades, since its founding in 2006, the Hope for Depression Research Foundation has invested more than $80 million in groundbreaking depression research, helping drive major advances in the understanding of the molecular basis of depression. In 2012, Audrey Gruss established the HDRF Depression Task Force (DTF), a collaboration of leading neuroscientists from top institutions around the world who pool their data and expertise to accelerate scientific discovery. Today, the DTF has identified several underlying causes of depression in the brain, and is now advancing these discoveries into early clinical studies in humans, bringing us closer to precision treatments for depression.

The 5K Race of Hope Platinum Level committee members included Shelley Bergman, Annabelle & Denis Coleman, Christina & Brian Flaherty, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Bryan Ludwig, Stacey Pashcow & Marc Caputo, Alina de Almeida & John Paulson, Thomas C. Quick Charitable Foundation, James & Teresa Remez, Barbara & Randall Smith and Sarah & Andrew Wetenhall.

Gold Level committee members included Jill Blanchard, Dominique Buaron, Hollis Bradley Pica, Ide & David Dangoor, Philippe del Grange, Michelle and Peter Farmer, Michael & Annie Falk, Bambi & Roger Felberbaum, The Honorable David Fischer & Jennifer Fischer, Molly & Bill Ford, Justin Davies & Mara Goodman-Davies LICSW, Candy Hamm, Kim Heirston, Yaz & Valentin Hernandez, William Kontes, Simone & David Levinson, Sharon H. & John L. Loeb. Jr., Robert F. Mancuso, Mary & Garrett Moran, Margo & Jimmy Nederlander, Pamela & Edward Pantzer, Tatiana & Campion Platt, Scott Snyder, Barbara & Clifford Sobel, Amanda Taylor, Dobi Trendafilova, Mary Ann Tighe & Dr. David Hidalgo and Lynne Wheat.

Silver Level committee members included Catherine Adler, Jacob Antilety Landscaping, Inc., Kelly & Carlo Barel Di Sant’ Albano, Robin Baker Leacock, Diego Binetti, David C. Bohnett, Geoffrey N. Bradfield, Rita & Charles Bronfman, Janna Bullock, Chris Coffee, Gus N. Davis, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Wendy Dietze, Deborah A. Farrington, Frances & Jeff Fisher, Hilary Geary Ross, Barbara & Alan Glatt, Darcy Gould, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Alexia Hamm Ryan, Charlotte Hemmerly, Elizabeth & Edgar Howard, Eleanora Kennedy, Bonnie Lautenberg, Geralyn & Dr. Tyler Lucas, Carol & Earle Mack, Teresa Melhado, Mrs. Lucia N Musso, Anne S. Nordeman, Jane & Richard Novick, Robin Pickett, Kathy Prounis, Katharine Rayner, Lauren Day Roberts, Frances G. Scaife, Carolyn Schenker, Jean Shafiroff, Ginny & David Sydorick, Lydia Touzet, Nicholas Varney, Lis Waterman, Clelia & Tom Zacharias and Silvia Zoullas.