When one hears the word debutantes, a common theme may cross their mind: debutantes being presented to the community to introduce daughters to suitable young men. As the years have passed, the meaning behind the program has shifted. In Hot Springs, the Debutante Coterie's mission states that the program "honors outstanding local young women by providing them with opportunities to grow in social responsibility, self-confidence, and poise."
The first debutante ball took place in 1857 New Orleans, commencing the start of the official debutante program. The first Red Rose Charity Ball was organized in 1945 by social editor of The Sentinel-Record, Polly Parrot, with 15 girls participating. This year marks the 75th anniversary that the tradition has continued, always in December at The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa in downtown Hot Springs.
"We always say it's the highlight of the Christmas season," said Laura Gehrki, president of the Debutante Coterie board. This is Gehkri's 10th year with the program. "We have our tea in the spring and we carefully select outstanding ladies in the community that are nominated by peers and parents that have hosted parties. We have our 'Little Season' which we just finished up." During the weeklong event, the debutantes "had their first waltz practice with their daddy/daughter at the Arlington and then they did their official portraits -- we get those out of the way as they've already purchased their ballgowns. They're ready to go."
With COVID-19 turning lives upside down this year, a few details of the season looked different. The Debutante Coterie partners with Our Promise Cancer Resources, which provides "caring, professional support and education to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers through direct financial assistance, social programs, and educational services," according to its website. This year, the girls crafted fleece blankets and donated them to patients. Since their partnership began, donations have exceeded $78,000.
"We were not allowed to traditionally go into the cancer clinic," she said. "Usually we go into Genesis (Cancer Center) and we have different service days there, but given COVID -- we just had to do everything at the Arlington. The Arlington was gracious enough to let us use the ballroom and those two days the girls assembled over 500 snack bag kits. They went to the different clinics and delivered soup to various testing sites for health care workers. They made over 25 handmade blankets that we distributed to the three cancer clinics here, writing notes of inspiration on the kits as well as the blankets. When you go and see these cancer patients in the clinics and see how it impacts them -- last year, we were at CHI (St. Vincent) and a gentleman walked out and got to ring the bell. His cancer treatments were over. The girls were just in awe. It's teaching them and imparting upon them how important it is with your own health and Dr. Cleveland gives her spill -- she's an oncologist -- about self exams for breast cancer as well as skin cancer. She didn't feel comfortable this year doing that so we had (nurse practitioner) Kristin Schnebly Dunn come in and share her personal story."
How does a young woman become a debutante?
"They are a senior in high school," Gehrki explained. "They are nominated by members of the community and we have a selection committee that oversees their accolades. It has to be the right fit -- you know, because the whole family participates and it is a pretty big commitment. It is a time-honored tradition that many families really look forward to their daughters being debutantes. ... We send out official invitations to a tea. It's an informational tea. It's always been held at the Country Club. So they come and we talk about our program and what all it involves and our charity is Our Promise Cancer Resources."
The Debutante Program hosts a "Little Season" of events that lasts around a week and revolves around the coterie's mission statement and objectives. This year featured a self-defense class, daddy/daughter waltz rehearsal, photography day, charity service day, yoga class, daddy/daughter bowling party, and another charity service day with Our Promise.
"Yoga's so important -- just being mindful of your body," Gehrki said. "We're trying to teach them that you're now your own advocate. You're 18, going off to college. You've got to go to doctor's appointments. You're in charge of your own health -- proper nutrition. We're giving them tools in their tool kit to know that yoga's really important and being mindful whether it's just where you're in a stressful situation and you're driving -- just deep breathing. Simple things to be aware of ... They love that class as well as the self-defense class. That's a really important class because they have to be aware of their surroundings. Chris Meggers duct-taped their hands and showed them how to break them or if you were zip-tied. There's just a lot of skills that we give them and mentoring them through that week. We just try to make it fun and educational. Wrapping it around our charity and what's so important is giving back. Wherever you are, once you graduate college and later in life. Find something that you're passionate about. We just try to teach these ladies and there's more things we wanted to do with them this year but due to COVID, we couldn't."
Gehrki explained an "impactful" past project spearheaded by Frances Iverson, a former sponsor and also a cancer survivor. The project, Creations of Hope, had the girls decorate bare mannequin heads and write a story regarding how cancer touched their lives. The finished designs were put on display at the charity ball.
"In the past, they chose different charities year after year," she said. "When I came on the board, that was part of my role and responsibility -- finding the charity of choice. We just kind of kept going back and feeling like we needed a bigger purpose and needed to align with just one charity. Our Promise just kind of fell in our lap. It's just something that we're so passionate about."
After the "Little Season," the girls go off to college and when December comes around, it's time for the Red Rose Charity Ball. The girls wear long, white formal gowns complete with evening gloves and a bouquet of red roses as they are presented by their fathers and continue their night with escorts.
"The girls have to be there early to practice the waltz," she explained. "It's a whole production as you can imagine. It's like a wedding with 20 young ladies. We've got to a private family dinner so there's a beautiful dinner for their families prior to the presentation. The presentation starts at 7:30 (p.m.) and it usually runs about an hour and after the presentation, the girls go into the other room next to the ballroom -- the convention room portion -- and we have a beautiful receiving line with punch and cookies. Their family and friends can come through and congratulate them and visit with them. Then, we flip the ballroom into a different setting with a band or a DJ and then we have a fun ball. They just get to dance the night away in celebration."
Gehrki mentioned how this year's ball, taking place on Dec. 19, will be livestreamed and could have a different look.
"The way that we practiced our waltz rehearsal -- we put 10 chairs 8 feet apart because we have 20 girls and so we showed them and had them sit where their mothers will be possibly sitting. That's kind of the spin on it, too. Here we are during COVID and we don't know what this looks like, but we are socially distancing and wearing masks. I'm sure the night of the ball that everyone's going to have to wear their mask. The debutante will probably be allowed to take it off as she's being presented but then put it back on."
"When we were able to do this 70 years of tradition, the debutante ball celebrates this milestone and it is a major milestone to have this in our community. Our community is just very unique and very giving ... Members of our community like (previous debutante) Kathy Storey -- her husband of over 50 years was her escort that night. There's so many marriages that have come out of this. Interesting and fun stories to tell ... I just want to keep these ladies -- Mrs. Charles E. Gidcome, Mrs. John D. Howe -- they paved the way and we're just trying to keep it young and fresh and relevant. It's not just a fundraiser. It's about making family memories and celebrating these young ladies and their academic achievements. There's not another program like this as far as debutantes."