Southampton Race of Hope Returns to Break Records!
Thank you to the hundreds of participants, in real life and virtual, who came together for the Race of Hope to Defeat Depression! This year’s event was a huge success! Over 200 men, women, and children gathered on a grey Sunday morning in Southampton to take part in the sixth annual Race of Hope on Sunday, August 8.
Another 300 participants nationally joined virtually to send messages of hope while walking or running the distance in their own hometowns. The USA Track and Field-sanctioned race raised a record $325,000 this year, all of which goes to research into new and better treatments for depression and anxiety.
In Southampton, participants set off at 8:30AM to complete a tree-lined 5K course around Lake Agawam. They launched in staggered waves to maintain safe distance. Race Co-Grand Marshals Katie Couric, HDRF Founder Audrey Gruss, and Board member Arthur Dunnam cheered the crowd.
Speaking to racers just before the starting gun, Katie Couric said, “Mental health is such a critically important issue, and it’s heartening to see it come out of the woodwork in a way that is unprecendented.”
HDRF Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss stood with Couric and Board member Arthur Dunnam to thank all participants. “Due to you and your support out here every year for six years, HDRF is now the leading depression research organization in the country. We have several new treatments in clinical trials and we won’t quit until there’s a cure.”
At the close of the the Race, Audrey Gruss handed out awards for several categories. First Prize for best male time went to Sergey Avramenko and First Prize for the best female time went to Una Broderick.
Gruss then presented Jessica Wagner and Team Wagner with the award for Top Fundraising Team. Arthur Dunnam secured the award for Top Individual Fundraiser. Natasha Jeffries and her team, Dakari’s Heartbeats, won the award for Largest Fundraising Team.
HDRF is going to get right to work on the 2022 Southampton Race of Hope, because until there is a cure, our job is not done. The next Race of Hope will take place in Palm Beach, FL on Saturday, February 26, 2022. It will then continue in Southampton in summer 2022!
A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to our top sponsors: Livingston Builders, Impala Asset Management and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. Great thanks to our local sponsors: Daily Dose, Down to Earth, Jacob Antilety Landscaping, Liquid I.V., Sant Ambroeus, Scott’s Protein Balls, Wirebox, and Wölffer Estate Vineyard.
You can view all of the finisher times by clicking here
To learn more about the event, visit News 12
Thank you again to ALL our event donors, participants, and volunteers. Your commitment to HDRF’s critical research mission is making a world of difference.