Hello, Moneybags! Anonymous donor picks up tab for 150 at Le Bilboquet launch for 5K race

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

When Audrey builds it, they will come.

More than 150 supporters of ― and believers in ―Audrey Gruss and her Hope for Depression Research Foundation gathered for a reception and dinner to start the two-week countdown to the Race of Hope to Defeat Depression.

The event took Jan. 31 at the tres chichi Le Bilboquet.

More Palm Beach society news here.

Gruss―founder and chairwoman of the Hope For Depression Research Foundation and its 5K fundraising road race ― and HDRF advisory board member Scott Snyder were honorary chairs for the evening, which began in the restaurant’s palm-framed courtyard with two hours (ahem) of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

After cocktails, the race committee’s top donors moved to the dining tables― decorated with mounds of roses in the HDRF's signature sunshine yellow color ―for remarks from the honorary chairs.

"Thank you for supporting one of the most important health and humanitarian issues in the world today,” said Gruss.  “The scope of depression globally is massive.  And yet current medications for depression are ineffective and 50% of people do not respond. HDRF is leading the way in finding urgently needed new treatments.”

Snyder added: “We are beyond grateful to everyone in this room.  Your support has been so generous.  Every year the Race grows.  It's friends, it's family, it's a community. This is a beautiful group of people.”

The night continued with dinner and a shout-out to presenting sponsors Findlay Galleries and major sponsor Livingston Builders.

Gruss and Snyder also served as co-grand marshals for the sixth annual 5K Race of Hope, which took place on Feb. 17 and attracted more than 1,000 entrants.

More than 150 guests attended the evening, which was entirely underwritten by an anonymous donor.

Dang. That's a lot of Dirty Martinis.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Event honored committee members and donors to annual 5K Race of Hope