Features | Feb. 2025
AN EVENING TO REMEMBER
By Ann Marie Scheidler
PHOTOGRAPHYBY JOHN REILLY PHOTOGRAPHY
On December 20, twenty-four young women from all over the Chicago area made their debut at the 66th Annual Presentation Ball presented by the Illinois Club for Catholic Women (ICCW).
Debutantes were presented to the Archbishop of Chicago, His Eminence, Blase J. Cardinal Cupich. The orchestra played in the flower-filled Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Chicago Hotel, where guests wore black tie and ball gowns and danced the night away. Patricia Peck, a former Texas debutante whose two daughters have also been debutantes, chaired the ball.
The 2024 Presentation Ball Debutante class included the following high school seniors from Lake Forest and Lake Bluff: Anna Braun, Abigail Bruskin, Grace Donovan, Anna Claire Giese, Victoria Hirs, Bria Mancuso, Madison McCain, and Harriet Pierce.
Julia Deal Lewis founded ICCW at the request of His Eminence George Cardinal Mundelein in 1921. The ICCW is a nonprofit organization that offers service and relief to the poor, the distressed, and the underprivileged of the Chicagoland area. Its primary fundraiser is the annual Presentation Ball. The first Presentation Ball was held December 29, 1958.
“This year, we had two legacy families attend the ball. This means that the grandmother, mother, and now the daughter is being presented as a debutante. Tradition plays such a big role in everything we do.” Peck says.
Center Row: Madison McCain, Victoria Hirs, Anna Claire Giese, Abigail Bruskin, Bria Mancuso, Harriet Pierce, Grace Donovan, Anna Braun Bottom Row: John Walsh, Adler Schlacher, Huston O’Neil, Henry Brickman, Gianni Meucci, Cooper Hender
According to the ICCW archives, the practice of “presenting” young women to society—meant to mark the beginning of adulthood—dates back to the middle of the 18th century in this country. Debutante charity balls flourished in the 1940s and 1950s and are currently held in nearly every major U.S. city, usually during the months of November and December.
The young women invited to become debutantes commit to a year of preparation and service. This year, Lake County Catholic Charities, Chicago Catholic Charities, Share Our Spare, House of the Good Shepherd, and Fill A Heart 4 Kids were all part of the debutantes’ outreach.
Each debutante invites two male friends as escorts to accompany her that evening—often turning to her friends, brothers, or cousins. In addition to participating in the presentation and the cotillion dance formations, the escorts are invited to join the social and service opportunities that take place leading up to the ball.
When the debutante is presented to the Cardinal by her father, she receives a Papal Medallion that is brought over from Italy. Only 3,000 bronze medallions are minted each year. “There are so many elements that make the Presentation Ball an unforgettable event for all,” adds Peck.
The ICCW Presentation Ball is a magical evening filled with tradition that is celebrated with family and friends. For more information, visit iccw.org.
