Las Madrinas Debs Carry On Tradition, Ready for 53rd Ball
Tradition looked elegantly smashing the other afternoon with most of the just-announced Las Madrinas debutantes lined up in a row on the bridge to the home of Mrs. Fulton Haight in Santa Monica, wearing smiles, silks and crisp cottons and holding nosegays with long ribbon streamers.
They stood just behind president Mrs. Thomas Techentin, in polite protocol announcing their names and greeting several hundred tea guests. The affair is the official prelude to the 53rd annual Debutante Ball on Dec. 21 in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton when the girls will be gowned in white and long gloves and be presented on the arms of their fathers to society.
Over the years Las Madrinas (the “godmothers”) members and debutante families have substantially supported Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, and, traditionally, debutantes, chosen before they begin their freshman year of college, have volunteered summer hours--all in a quiet profile. Now, with ever-surging competition for the dollar and a desire to raise larger funds for Childrens Hospital, Las Madrinas’ board intends to leave no stones unturned.
Most board members attended the tea. Among them: Mrs. Stephen Ackerman, Mrs. Neil Martin, Mrs. Brian Crahan, Mrs. Peter Reich, Mrs. Richard Hotaling, Mrs. Robert Carpenter, Mrs. Willis Durst Jr., Mrs. Joseph Keon Jr. and Mrs. James Birdwell Jr.
Janice Carpenter is debutante chairman, and Penne Durst is ball chairman. Already debutantes have toured the hospital with fathers and grandfathers invited. The thought: once you see Childrens Hospital, you think benevolently.
Debutantes and their parents are Misses Sarah Boren, the Frank Dennis Borens; Gianna Bosko, the David Boskos; Thekla Brumder, the George Brumders; Kathleen Campbell, the William Campbells Jr.; Tawnia Cannell, the Stephen J. Cannells; Cecilia Cord, the Christopher Cords; Kathryn Eastman, the Peter Eastmans; Melinda Fountain, the Rex Fountains Jr.; Elizabeth Gibbs, the George Gibbses Jr.; Kathryn Gibson, the John Gibsons Jr.; Katherine Graham, the Francis Grahams II; Nancy Hatch, the Sinclair Hatches Jr.; Katherine Horton, the Rufus William Landon Hortons III; Samantha Howard, Mrs. Julie Fleming and the late Mr. William Howard; Helene Jones, the Nelson Joneses; Ashley LaShelle, Mrs. Noll LaShelle and Brett LaShelle; Karen Lemons, William Leo Lemons Jr. and the late Dorothy Therese Leavey Lemons; Elizabeth McDonald, the Stephen McDonalds.
More are Misses Melissa Sprague Mingst, the William Mingsts; JoAnne Schroeder, the Jon Schroeders; Annabel Schwedes, Mrs. Franklin Lane III and Charles Schwedes; Alison Shea, the John Francis Sheas; Sarah Shea, the Peter Sheas; Stefanie Smith, the W. Clark Smiths; Kristin Techentin, the Thomas Techentins; Lisa Thomas, the Wayne Thomases; Alyssa Walker, the William T. Walkers Jr.; Laura Westwater, the John C. Westwaters, and Kathryn Wollan, the Dennis Wollans.
ALFRESCO DINING: Shiny invitations are out for the Medici Awards Dinner on July 9 to honor 1987 award recipients who have generously contributed to the cultural development of Los Angeles. Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the trustees, overseers and director of the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens will be hosts for the 6:30 p.m. cocktails in the Shakespeare Garden and the alfresco dinner on the North Vista Garden.
Robert F. Maguire III is dinner chairman, and William M. Clossey vice chairman. Just a few on the large honorary dinner committee are Eli Broad, John Argue, Lloyd Cotsen, Armand Deutsch, Michael Eisner, Mrs. Freeman Gates, Nancy Adams Holliday, Winston V. Morrow, William D. Schulte, Debra Lynne Solis and Philip L. Williams.
