The Holly Ball

It was the Yuletide season of 1895, and the Eubank Hotel in Kilmarnock glowed with candlelight and twinkling eyes. Amidst the lilt of banjos and violins, dancers in their finest party attire were swirling about the room when John Armistead Palmer placed a chair beneath the chandelier and standing above the crowd, held a sprig of holly over the head of Miss Cora Brent. When he spoke, a hush came over the room. “I crown thee, Queen Cora, Empress of the Holly Realm,” and with his decree a tradition was born.

That tradition lives on. There has been a Holly Ball Queen every year since 1895 except during the years of World War I, World War II and 2020. In 1958, the Holly Ball Committee joined with The Christmas Assembly, a debutante charity ball which had begun in 1950 in the Northern Neck. The two events were combined to become the Holly Festival Ball, a debutante ball where a queen would continue to be chosen by popular vote.

It was also decided that another tradition of the Christmas Assembly would be honored: that is, through the Tidewater Foundation, Inc. funds resulting from this charity ball would continue to be used to support the Tidewater Foundation’s commitment to cultural enrichment and education in the Northern Neck and Tidewater area.

Ever since the first Holly Ball, beautifully decorated and engraved invitations signaled the elegance of the occasion, with the reigning queen’s family providing the food, decorations, orator and orchestra for the elaborate and much celebrated gala. The Holly Ball Committee has assumed these responsibilities. The reigning queen is still responsible for choosing a charity/entity with which to partner and to which the debutantes are asked to make donations.

What began as a Yuletide party has grown into an event which requires thousands of hours of planning all year long. As soon as one ball is over, plans for the next one begins. It is a labor of love as people throughout the community play a part in preserving the Holly Ball tradition. It is an event that gives back to the community — not just in memories and photographs, but a charitable spirit that improves the quality of life in the Northern Neck.

All debutantes have family ties to the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula and accepted the invitation from the Holly Ball Committee. The celebratory events they participated in leading up to the Holly Ball included the Holly Ball Coffee, where they first gathered together and met with the Holly Ball Committee, The Queen’s Ball given by the 2019 queen, and numerous parties given in honor of the debutantes by their families.

“The committee is pleased that these young ladies embrace a time-honored tradition and mission of preserving a philanthropic legacy of giving back. The events scheduled and hosted during the debutante season unite these young women and foster a spirit of altruistic advocacy. They inspire the formation of new and genuine lifetime friendships among like-minded women who wholeheartedly endorse returning gifts bestowed upon them in a generous and charitable fashion,” remarked Virginia Crowther Ritter, Holly Ball Publicity Committee member.

It is with great pleasure that The Holly Ball Committee releases the names of the twenty-nine young ladies who were presented at the 125th Tidewater Assembly Holly Ball. The ball was held at Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club on December 28, 2021 at 7:00 pm. In 2020, as we experienced the COVID pandemic, it was determined that a cancellation was in order. “We are delighted that this year’s ball incorporated the presentation of the 2020 and 2021 debutantes, the pairing of two groups of debutantes was a first in the history of this longstanding Northern Neck Yuletide event. We looked forward to hosting this ball for over a year. Debutantes and all guests enjoyed the most festive and well-attended Holly Ball in its 125-year history,” Ritter added.

On Saturday November 27th, the debutante season was initiated as members of the Holly Ball Committee hosted a coffee at Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club for debutantes and their mothers. On a brisk winter morning all were so excited to be present, getting to know one another and orienting to the events of the upcoming Holly Ball season. Present for a coffee prior to the ball was presiding Queen of Holly Ball 2019, Elizabeth Anne Kellum, and her mother Julie Barrack. Elizabeth greeted all and described what her experience as the Queen of the Holly Realm had meant to her. She discussed the community project she developed as a liaison with Lancaster, Northumberland and Richmond County Sheriff Departments to provide young children of adults who had been detained with art supplies, stuffed animals, books and other sources of comfort. Queen Kellum reigned as queen of the 125th Holly Realm. Miss Kellum is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ellery Kellum of Reedville and Mr. and Mrs. Gray Barrack of Farnham. She and her family selected the Honorable Paul S. Trible, Jr. as orator for the event. The Holly Ball Committee and the Tidewater Foundation were delighted and honored by Trible’s willingness to deliver remarks at the ball.   

The twenty-nine young ladies who made their debut on December 28th at the 125th Holly Ball are:

 Grace Adelaide Algeier, a student at The College of William and Mary, daughter of Dr. Rhonda and Mr. Austin Joseph Algeier of Charlotte Court House, Virginia; Alice Jane Allen, a student at Rappahannock Community College, daughter of Mrs. Stephen Edwards Allen of Deltaville; Regan Justine Allen, a student at Virginia Tech, daughter of Mr. Garland Lindon Allen, Junior of Milford and Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Baird Ellis, Junior of Champlain; Caroline Forrest Andrews, a student at George Mason University, daughter of  Mr. and Mrs. William Forrest Andrews of Tappahannock; Abigail Marie Boone, a student at Christopher Newport University, daughter of Mr. Shawn Boone of Callao and Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lee Hettinger of Warsaw ; Ashley Nicole Burgess, a student at Virginia Wesleyan University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richie R. Burgess of Reedville; Lauren Madisyn Carson, a student at East Carolina University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Jones and Mr. and Mrs. Scott Carson of Tappahannock; Virginia Claire Davis, a student at Northern Virginia Community College, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Davis of Haymarket; Kaallie Evans Breil Dawson, a student at The University of New Hampshire, daughter Mr. and Mrs. William Carlyle Dawson of Williamsburg; Anne Sydney DeShazo, a student at Old Dominion University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William DeShazo of Warsaw; Madison Elizabeth Giese, a student at the University of Virginia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Huling Giese of Lancaster; Alexandra DiSimo Harris, a student at The College of William and Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Sterling Harris of Tappahannock; Frances Monroe Hope, a student at North Carolina State University, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Cameron Hope IV of White Stone; Kennedy Blanchard Jones, a student at Washington College, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Colin Jones, Junior; Makayla Lynn Lewis, a student at Rappahannock Community College, daughter of Mr. Ted Lewis, Junior and Mrs. Kimberly Dunaway Lewis of Warsaw; Jessica Sterling Medlin, a student at the University of Virginia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Bruce Medlin, Junior of Lancaster; Riley Brooke Molineaux, a student at Bridgewater College, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Michael Lewis Molineaux of Irvington; Morgan Elizabeth Nelson, a student at the University of Lynchburg, daughter of Mr. Wesley Travis Goodwyn and Mrs. Erin Nelson Goodwyn of Tappahannock;   Grace Ashley Oren, a student at James Madison University, daughter of Mr. Craig Oren of Weems;  Kayla Marie Oren, a student at Christopher Newport University, daughter of Mr. Craig Oren of Weems. Also, Emily Ruth Rice, a student at Bridgewater College , daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Warner Rice of Reedville; Amme Lynn Saunders, a student at Old Dominion University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Lewis Saunders, Junior of Warsaw; Madelyn Ann Scholtes, a student at Northeastern University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bret David Scholtes of Houston, Texas and Reedville, Virginia; Victoria Ann Simmons, a student at Liberty University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Andrew Simmons, III of Kilmarnock; Kirsten Blair Smith, a student at James Madison University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Carroll Smith of Kilmarnock; Leah Garnett Vanlandingham, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Lee Vanlandingham, Senior of Warsaw; Taylor Ann Vaughn, a student at Liberty University, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Randolph Vaughn of Warsaw; Elle McKee Williams, a student at Virginia Tech, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Harrison Williams, IV of Reedville and Ellis Meade Watkins, a student at The University of Georgia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Johnson Watkins of St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Elle McKee Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Harrison Williams IV was crowned Queen of the 125th Holly Ball. Miss Williams, a graduate of St. Margaret’s School, attends Virginia Tech. Miss Williams chose as her attendants Kirsten Blair Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Carroll Smith of Weems and Ashley Nichole Burgess, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richie R. Burgess of Reedville. Trible crowned Miss Williams queen of the 125th Holly Ball.  

 Sincere appreciation to the event sponsors: Bevans Oyster Company, W. F. Booth and Son, Glenn C. Cockrell, LLC, Connemara Construction, Dehnert, Clarke and Company, P. C., The Eugene Duffer Foundation, Dunton, Simmons and Dunton, L.L.P., Noblett Appliance, Inc., Northern Neck Insurance Company, and Omega Protein.

The Tidewater Foundation and the Holly Ball Committee gratefully acknowledge their loyal and generous support. Their sponsorship helps enable the Tidewater Foundation to support our local charities and community entities.