Lighthouse Guild, the leading organization dedicated to addressing and preventing vision loss, hosted its 12th Annual “Visionary Evening” on February 20th at Club Colette. A highly anticipated evening in Palm Beach, this year’s event honored philanthropists, Audrey & Martin Gruss.
Pauline Raiff, the immediate past Lighthouse Guild Chair, introduced Dr. Calvin Roberts, a clinical professor of Ophthalmology at Weil Cornell Medical College and former Chief Medical officer for Bausch Health, who is the newly elected President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild beginning April 1. Dr. Roberts welcomed the guests, and thanked Honorary Chair Arlene Dahl, and Dinner Dance Co-chairs Grace Meigher and Thomas C. Quick, for their longstanding support.
After dinner, Dr. Roberts introduced honorees, Audrey & Martin Gruss, and presented them with Lighthouse Guild’s Visionary Award. He highlighted their distinguished accomplishments, including the founding of Hope for Depression Foundation — the leading organization of its kind in the U.S — by Audrey with Martin’s support, in memory of her mother’s struggle with depression. Dr. Roberts also cited the shared concerns between the two organizations surrounding depression and vision loss, saying that individuals with vision loss are three to four times more likely to suffer from depression.
2020’s ‘A Visionary Evening’ drew 150 guests, who enjoyed an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, along with a live auction, conducted by Geraldine Nager, formerly of Sotheby’s, who was assisted by Quick. The evening’s proceeds will support depression research related to vision loss.
Guests included: Ambassador Mary & Pete Dawkins, Scott Snyder, William Eubanks & Ben Stein, Nick Gold & Bram Majtis, Swifty’s Robert Caravaggi, Sharon Sondes, Louise Kaufman and Krystian von Speidel.
Lighthouse Guild is the leading organization dedicated to addressing and preventing vision loss. We provide coordinated care for eye health, vision rehabilitation and behavioral health as well as related services directed at prevention, early detection and intervention of vision disorders. Reducing the burdens of vision loss is the cornerstone of what we do.
For more information, visit www.lighthouseguild.org
Photographs by CAPEHART
