Hope for Depression Research Foundation Celebrates its Palm Beach Junior Committee
PB Junior Chairs Casey Taylor and PJ Quick Pollack Host Soiree to Kick off Winter Season
Casey Taylor and PJ Quick Pollack, Junior Chairs of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) Palm Beach Junior Committee, hosted a festive cocktail party on Wednesday, January 18th to kick-off the Foundation’s winter season in Palm Beach. The event marks the one-month run-up to HDRF’s Fifth Annual Race of Hope 5K to Defeat Depression slated for Saturday, February 18.
Over 100 Junior Committee members and their guests attended the party which took place at Tricia Quick’s beautiful Mediterranean-style home. Guests mingled throughout the house and pool area decorated with pops of HDRF’s signature bright yellow—including yellow high tops, tulip bouquets and a neon-tiled bar. The event was generously underwritten by Tricia Quick and Eddy Taylor.
Dressed in their Palm Beach best, the HDRF Junior Committee members and their friends conversed, enjoyed poolside music by DJ Adams, and delighted in delicious cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres including lamb chops, salmon canapes and tuna tartare. In attendance were Junior Co-Chairs Sarah Wetenhall, Hollis Pica, Turner Mistretta, Mona Nasser, and Kameron Ramirez, Junior Committee members attending included Bettina Anderson, Carolina Buia Barefoot, Zoe Bullock, Tom Brodsky, Samantha Curry, Clementine Goutal, Maggi Haigh, Grace Hyde, Andrew Filauro, Stacey Leuliette, Katherine Lande and Kevin Condon, Nick Mele, Matt Oleszczuk, Bert Posess, Jack Rooney, Whitney Lovell Schott, William Seggos and Kirsten Smith. Also in attendance were HDRF’s Founder and Chair Audrey Gruss, Executive Director Louisa Benton, and Advisory Board member Scott Snyder.
Greeting the gathering, HDRF’s Executive Director Louisa Benton said: “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.”
Pollack thanked Junior Committee members, shared a personal story about recently losing a friend to depression, and thanked his guests for committing to raise funds and participate in the Race of Hope.
“I’m excited to spearhead efforts for a cause that is so important to me and my peers,” says PJ Quick Pollack. “Like everyone, young adults are still struggling with the uncertainty and isolation caused by the pandemic. Many continue to experience symptoms 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.”
