La Jolla Tradition Continues at 30th Debutante Ball
Mayo Howe’s three tall brothers, Steven, Kenny and David Beck von Peccoz, jostled good-naturedly Saturday for the right to escort their sister through her presentation at “The Pearl,” the 30th edition of the annual La Jolla Debutante Ball.
Although Howe, daughter of La Jolla socialite Dotti Howe, may have been unusually affluent in the matter of escorts, the ball proceeded in the fashion that has made it a May perennial. Given, as always, in the Grand Ballroom at Hotel del Coronado, the fund-raiser attracted a guest list of 315.
The young women, mostly high school seniors, looked statuesque in floor-length white gowns, worn in accordance with a decree from which not the slightest deviation is permitted. That there were just 16 of them, a number well below that of recent years, caused some comment, but several committee members said that the smaller roster satisfied the desire for a more manageable event.
Fleshing out the scene in concentric circles from the middle of the Del’s circular dance floor were the escorts, generally shy about the requirement of waltzing and careful of their evening clothes; anxious-eyed fathers, in tails and white gloves; proud mothers, finally freed of all worries about hemlines; the committee, solicitous, and fluttering like so many fairy godmothers; family members and friends and, at the edges, some supporters of the children’s charities chosen to benefit from the ball and the six-month-long debutante program. All in all, the tableau had enough in common with a nuptial ceremony that one parent sighed, “It’s just like a wedding, only you get to take your daughter home when it’s over.”
As always, a certain backstage-opening night-on-Broadway sense of drama pervaded the final rehearsal, given behind closed ballroom doors while the mothers entertained guests at a cocktail reception in the Garden Room.
Not surprisingly, the young women looked the most at ease in a pageant whose players included escorts, fathers and crisply uniformed Naval ROTC midshipmen from local universities, under whose crossed swords the debs and dads would march in prelude to the waltz that traditionally concludes the presentation ceremony and opens the ball.
Presiding over the complicated maneuvers were perennial presentation directors Donald Benjamin, San Diego dancing master emeritus, and Peter Gregg Benjamin, in his sixth year following in his father’s well-choreographed footsteps.
On stage, debutante presenter and San Diego Union columnist Burl Stiff checked his notes while orchestra leader Bill Green ran through the cues for the 16 numbers that would accompany the debs’ introductions. (There were two breaks from tradition here. Green replaced the Joe Moshay Orchestra from Los Angeles, long a debutante ball staple. And, for the first time, songs whose titles include the word “girl” (as in “Thank Heaven for Little Girls”) stood in for titles that mention the debutante’s name, for the simple reason that, although the Lauras, Marys and Amys of earlier generations could be accommodated, the Tiffanys of the moment present a challenge.)
The ball raised about $32,000. Over its 30 years, the event has disbursed $765,000 among charities connected with youth welfare. Major beneficiary of “The Pearl” was the Armed Services YMCA for the benefit of families of military personnel who served in the Gulf War. Among other beneficiaries were Casa de los Pobres, the Arthritis Foundation, Canine Companions and a children’s program at San Diego Hospice.
To celebrate the 30th, or pearl, anniversary, the committee decked the ballroom in a pearl theme that extended to an oyster habitat and included undersea flora representations around the stage as well as centerpieces of pure white roses, peonies and snapdragons garnished with oversized imitation pearls. Many members of this committee have served for years, and several take the view that they are conservators of an important tradition.
“Our main purpose, of course, is charity, but we also concentrate on the grooming and training of the young ladies,” said ball chairwoman Dona Whitaker, who added that she dislikes the impression in some circles that debutante balls are at best archaic.
“I hate it when people think the deb parties are all fluff, because they’re not. The girls work hard for our charities, and go out to meet kids from less-advantaged backgrounds. “For example, they gave an Easter party and egg hunt for the children at St. Vincent de Paul Village.”
Other committee members took a simpler delight in this particular rite of passage. Debutante chairman Lauree McKeown said, “These girls are so wonderful, they’re just an exquisite group of young ladies. I wish they all were my daughters.”
Among the young women presented and their parents were Sondra Boroff, daughter of Adrienne and Grant Boroff; Wendy Davis, Kay and Jeff Davis; Elizabeth Evans, Dr. Ruth Evans and Dr. Edward Evans; Susan Grady, Jerri and Thomas Grady; Marguerite Hannan, Molly and Cecil Hannan; Heather Lindsey, Lucille and John Lindsey, and Julia McCreight, Sandra and Peter McCreight.
Also bowing were Renee Pradels, daughter of Jan and Michael Pradels; Kelli Simpson, Gretchen and James Simpson; Tufia Steidle, Elaine and Walter Steidle; Janet Tillett, Doris and Anthony Tillett; Shannon Tribble, Victoria Hobbs and Thomas Tribble; Anee Vecchione, Sandra and Dr. Thomas Vecchione; Anna Vigil, Patricia Vigil and Orlando Vigil, and Gina Virgilio, Beatrice and Dr. Richard Virgilio.
Key members of the large committee were Susan Johnson, Fran Dolan, Marlene Shook, Dotti Wilson, Linda Merkin, Brownie Kniff, Pat Hannum, Kay Allman and Anne Rifat.
The fifth annual Celebri-T-Shirt auction will be given Saturday, June 8, at the Kona Kai Club for the benefit of The Storefront, a shelter for homeless youths operated as a joint effort of San Diego Youth & Community Services, Catholic Charities and METRO.
The chief feature of the event is a collection of T-shirts and other memorabilia autographed and donated by about 300 music, film and sports stars. Listed in this yemar’s program as the hotter items are a sequinned jumpsuit worn by MC Hammer; guitars autographed by Carlos Santana and Steve Vai; a Vanilla Ice satin tour jacket; a black necktie from Julio Iglesias; an evening gown from Anjelica Huston; a handbag from Elizabeth Taylor and a baseball cap previously worn by Clint Eastwood.
Tickets to the auction, which commences at 8 p.m., cost $25 each and are available through TicketMaster. A preview party for patrons commences at 6:30 p.m. and includes hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and a private viewing of the auction items. Tickets to the preview, which include auction admission, cost $100 per person or $750 for a table of 10, and are available from San Diego Youth & Community Services.