Debutante Balls Benefit Charities for Children

Ah, tradition. What’s Thanksgiving weekend without football, leftovers, and those lovely creatures called debutantes?

Thirty-four young women--each in a cloud of white--were introduced to Orange County society over the weekend, pouring benefit dollars into two local charities for children: the Children’s Home Society and the National Charity League.

At the Hyatt Regency Irvine on Saturday night, the Newport chapter of the National Charity League introduced debs in a Victorian setting.

Amid roses and hydrangea, the debs swept through leaded glass doors bordered with opalescent curtains and made their St. James bows before dancing with their fathers. Each girl wore long white gloves with her floor-length gown and carried a white satin muff trimmed with flowers.

In the spotlight: Kimberly Bray, Kimberly Crook, Gayle Davis, Jennifer Ensley, Shelly Geiler, Alyson Gerry, Kelli Harrington, Molly Kirrene, Christina Martin, Jillian Mead, Jennifer Morrison, Jennifer Pence, Jillian Smith, Stacy Vieth, Caren Walley, Cristen Walley, Julie Ann Warmington, Kristin Willgeroth and Tara Wulffson.

Mrs. Thomas Richard Boris was ball chairwoman.

The Newport Harbor Auxiliary of the Children’s Home Society presented its debutantes at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Dana Point amid a profusion of peach poinsettias, pomegranates and topiary trees.

The stage on which the debutantes were introduced was hung with a gold backdrop draped with peach moire tapestries. The highlight of the presentation: fathers and daughters doing a traditional waltz to the song “The Loveliest Night of the Year.”

Dinner included filet mignon and swordfish and swan (what else for budding social swans?) profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

Making their debuts were: Laura Barnes, Amy Booth, Katie Carlson, Cynthia Crane, Laurie Cunningham, Leslie Danz, Lisa-Nicole deKruif, Shana Eddy, Tracy DuPre, Carrie Frankson, Meredith McLarand, Alison Metheral, Marni Price, Jennifer Utman and Johanna Wallin-Waddel.

Bonnie Lambert was ball chairwoman.