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On the town

Debutantes step out during busy season

By MARY JANE PARK
Published January 1, 2006

For St. Petersburg debutantes, the week between Christmas and New Year's is a flurry. The annual Presentation Ball is a tradition spanning nearly 70 years and is surrounded by lots of parties.

Each year's event tweaks the customs a bit: This year, for example, former St. Petersburg mayor and master of ceremonies Bob Ulrich alternated between the Alpha and Omega ends of the alphabet in announcing the debs, their parents and escorts.

By long-established convention, the young women wear white ball gowns and carry bouquets of red roses. White urns, also filled with red roses, fill the Coliseum stage, an elegant backdrop as the debutantes descend the stairs and are met by their fathers, who accompany them in a promenade around the ballroom. Then, the debs curtsy to their mothers and take the arms of their escorts.

The 16 debutantes for 2005, presented in ceremonies Tuesday night, were:

Claire Bailey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wallace Bailey; University of North Florida; escorted by Andrew Fleet Ford.

Carrie Ann Bramlet, daughter o f Dr. and Mrs. Dale Gene Bramlet; Boston University; escorted by Ian Guis.

Lisa Marie Bridge, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lorin Baisden Bridge; Florida State University; escorted by Eric Jeffrey LaVenture.

Theresa Anne Casadonte, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Anthony Casadonte; University of Georgia; escorted by J.R. Casadonte.

Katherine Louise Crawford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alan Crawford; University of South Florida; escorted by Josef William Parr.

Christine Elizabeth Fasan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Richard Fasan; Northwestern University; escorted by Keith Michael Antone.

Lashley Evelyn Feaster, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Burnes Lynn Feaster III; University of Florida; escorted by Corey James Foran.

Tricia Suzanne Hornsby, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terrence Joseph Hornsby; University of Florida; escorted by Terrence Joseph Hornsby Jr.

Colleen Josephine Mahaffey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Thomas Mahaffey; University of Central Florida; escorted by Mark Thomas Mahaffey Jr.

Margaret Paige Nielsen, daughter o f Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Norwood Nielsen; Mercer University; escorted by Ryan Bradley Newman.

Emily Victoria Ritch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Sarver Ritch; Roanoke College; escorted by Jeffrey Sarver Ritch Jr.

Rebecca Louise Slicker, daughter of Linda Laraine Mastry and William Denton Slicker; Florida State University; escorted by Andrew Vihn Berger.

Lauren Elizabeth Timberlake, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barclay Timberlake; University of South Florida; escorted by Mark Allen Feldman.

Cameron Hope Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Gilbart Williams; Duke University; escorted by Ryan Keith Frost.

Noelle Louisa Williams, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Larry Ross Williams; Georgia State University; escorted by Zachary Boulter Bowers.

After the official proceedings come a buffet dinner and dancing, and time for debs, alumnae debs, their families and friends to catch up with each other. College friends return home from as near as Gainesville, Miami, Orlando and Tallahassee, as far away as Atlanta, Boston, Cambridge, Chapel Hill, Chicago, Durham and New York.

Marian Yon Ellis is president of the debutante club, and Evelyn Moorefield is its permanent secretary, keeper of traditions and official guardian angel.

On Friday, the atmosphere was decidedly less formal, where debs gathered at midday for a farewell South of the Border Fiesta in the social room at Vinoy Place. Hostesses were Cary Bond, BeBe Chandler, Jane Cordes, Marion Gay, Annette Goddard, June Johnson, Helen Lipscomb, Helen Mills, Sally Roney, Wyline Sayler, Helen Siviter, Barbara Smith and Elsie Slicker.

On Dec. 19, the young women were invited to bring as many as three friends to a holiday open house at the home of Bill and Kally Harvard. Additional hosts were David and Lynn Cox, Tom and Mary Lou DeVoe, Bud and Mary Evertz, Bill and Ria McQueen, Fran Davis, John and Frances Doyle and Cary Bond Thomas.

Bonnie Braun, Mary Jane Cartier, Cynthia Fleece, Joanne Fleece, Sandy Hardin and Cynthia Lake entertained debutantes and their mothers at a Dec. 20 luncheon at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Three days later, debs returned to the yacht club for a luncheon with their fathers and grandfathers. Hosts for that holiday celebration were Jose and Kathy DeVicente, Tom and Betty Jean Miller, Janet Raymond, Dahlgren and Frank Scarritt, Vincent and Terri Shook, Dick and Shawn Ulrich, Bob and Barbara Ulrich and Bob and Betty Willis.

Best wishes to On the Town's loyal readers, with gratitude for the gifts you bring to the community. A happy new year to you all.

Mary Jane Park can be reached at 727 893-8267; fax (727) 893-8675; e-mail park@sptimes.com P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:28:15]