When they’re not studying for the good grades that are paving their way to top- notch colleges across the country, the young women who will be presented at the 2008 Denver Debutante Ball are busy volunteering for organizations that range from Brent’s Place to Craig Hospital, or helping their high school teams win state honors in sports like tennis, field hockey and lacrosse.
In fact, one could say they’re following an example set by the ball’s chairwoman, the former Lise Barth. Following her debut in 1967, she went to college, married longtime sweetheart Ric Bellmar, raised three children, and became active in both her church and National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park. In 1983, she and Ric, the owners of a financial planning and money management company, started the Hal O’Leary Golf Tournament and it has raised more than $1 million for the NSCD.
Twenty-six debutantes will curtsy at the 2008 ball, planned for Dec. 20 at the Brown Palace Hotel. They met for the first time when the ball committee hosted a tea in their honor last Thursday at Brooke Parker’s Greenwood Village home. Kathy Calkins and Sharon Martin organized the tea, and served as greeters, along with Dawn Wood, the ball’s co-chair.
Included in the debutante class are: Ali Bathgate, a senior at Kent Denver School and nationally ranked freestyle skier; Zoe Bidell, whose great-great grandfather served as Aspen’s mayor; cousins Lexy Groos and Elizabeth Pickard, the great- niece and granddaughter, respectively, of the late E. Atwill Gilman, who for 25 years was the ball’s master of ceremonies; and Annie Lake, whose great-aunt, Mary Kay Deline, was presented at the first Denver Debutante Ball and whose great-great-grandfather discovered Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs.
Debutante Olivia Nicholson is the great-granddaughter of Will Faust Nicholson, who was elected Denver mayor in 1956, and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Will Faust Nicholson Jr., who, three years ago, stood in the receiving line at the 50th anniversary Denver Debutante Ball. Jade Perkins is a fourth-generation Coloradan and is descended from fur trapper and trader Ceran St. Vrain, well known for his mercantile partnership with George Bent, east of Pueblo. Annie Stookesberry’s great-grandfather was instrumental in bringing the railroad from Cheyenne to Denver and Elizabeth Eliot, a fifth-generation native, is the daughter of a former deb (Missy Eliot) and the granddaughter of a past member of the ball committee (Sue Kintzele).
Others in the Class of 2008 are Sarah Ammons, Kate Burchenal, Frances Kappner Clark, Taylor Dolven, Kenzie Gilchrist, Georgia Grey, Kate Jolliffe, Caroline Knudson, Paige Larson, Tally Latcham, Elizabeth Marsico, Erin McGonagle, Olivia Ross, Haley Sorenso, Sarah Tredennick, Allie Welsh and Meggie Zajkowski.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@
