Katherine Courtney Ballentine Six daughters and one niece were presented at The South Carolina Debutante Ball on Thursday, December 22, 2005, at Forest Lake Club.

Receiving guests at a reception prior to the Ball were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ransom Bowers, chairman of the Board, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Patrick Cutler, president of the Ball, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Seer Owings Jr., president–elect and chairman of the Ball, the debutante daughters and their fathers. The presentation of the debutantes by their fathers and uncles with introductions by the Ball chairman was followed by the debutante figure led by Katherine Courtney Ballentine.

Debutante daughters making their bows were Katherine Courtney Ballentine, daughter of Mrs. Eugene Wells Ballentine Jr. and the late Mr. Eugene Wells Ballentine Jr., escorted by Andrew Gray Howard; Emily Marshall Collins, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Hampton Wade Collins III, escorted by Creston William Brown; Jane Eleanor Elliott, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard McKenzie Elliott, escorted by John Latimer Elliott; Caroline Locke Ellzey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Daniel Ellzey, escorted by Larkin Barmore Ellzey; Margaret Elizabeth Hicks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Virgil Hicks, escorted by ehu Marion Molten; and Katherine Powell McKinney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Izlar McKinney Jr., escorted by John Gilchrest Griffin.

Emily Marshall Collins Also presented was Meredith Easterling Sawyer, niece of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gordon Trippe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Osteen Sawyer, and escorted by Michael Clark Roberts Jr.

Guest debutantes attending were Lucille Frost Thorne Austin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Blaine Carter, escorted by Mr. Raymond Emery Clark Jr.; Katherine Bonner Bowen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Murrel Johnson Bowen Jr., escorted by Moses Tucker Laffitte IV; Evelyn Wells Bowers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ransey Bowers, escorted by Claude deTreville Bowers; Katherine Stewart Bristow, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Walter James Bristow III, escorted by Leland Baker Burns; Verd Anna Cunningham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Mark Cunningham, escorted by Theodore Mikael Veil; Meghan Jordan Derderian, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Sarkis Steven Derderian, escorted by James Lucas McFadden; Elizabeth Gaines Gray, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Cranston Gray Jr., escorted by James Cranston Gray III; Ellerbe Somers Gregg, daughter of Mrs. Anne Johnston Gregg and Mr. William Maxwell Gregg II, escorted by John Calvin Bruton III; Allie Kari Jordan Inabinet, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Calhoun Inabinet, escorted by Matthew Stephen Dyer; Elizabeth Marie Joye, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Russell Joye Sr., escorted by Charles Michael Powell Jr.; Nina McClenaghan Knowlton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Yates Knowlton, escorted by Robert Bole Heppenstall IV; Ida Dargan McMaster, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Gourdin McMaster, escorted by William Gourdin McMaster Jr.; Roberta Wade O’Neil, daugher of Mrs. Roberta Harmon O'Neil, escorted by Joseph Daniel Caughman; Mary Catherine Byrd Ormand, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Eugene Ormand Jr., escorted by Lana Hancock Sims IV; Elsa Madison Penninger, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Bernard Penninger Jr., escorted by Ryan McCoy Penninger; Mary Ann Buchanan Powell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Alexander Powell Jr., escorted by Andrew Coles Dukes; Lilla Wyman Theus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Harrison Theus, escorted by Larry Pedrick McWilliams; Laurie Elizabeth Traywick, daughter of Mrs. Donna Gamble Traywick and Mr. Vordman Carlisle Traywick Jr., escorted by Evan Mark Hobbs; Margaret Wannamaker Utsey, daughter Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hutto Utsey, escorted by Reginald Darlington Wilson III.

Jane Eleanor Elliott Post debutantes present at the Ball were Staci Katherine Hymson, escorted by James Greenlee Davis; Catherine Cameron Leppard, escorted by James Whittle Kluttz III; Keller Elizabeth Lindler escorted by Jessen Robinson Lindler; Anna Taylor McCabe escorted by Jonathan David Wyman; Margaret Ellen Pendarvis escorted by Mr. Edward Olin Pendarvis III; Mary McDonald Stewart escorted by William Johnson Fairey; and Julia Elizabeth Zimmerman escorted by William Oliver Keels.

Katherine Powell McKinney Sons of members attending the Ball for the first time were Richard Henning Beale Jr. and Thomas Jefferson Holbrook III.

Margaret Elizabeth Hicks Following the presentation and debutante figure, the members, debutantes, and guests dined and danced to the music of the Ross Holmes Band. Seated at the head table were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ranson Bowers, chairman of the Board; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Patrick Cutler, president of the Ball, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Seer Owings Jr., president–elect and chairman of the Ball; and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Charles Scott, co–chairman of the Ball. After dinner, coffee was served in the foyer.

Other officers of the Ball are Mr. and Mrs. William Deaderick Snyder, secretary, and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Michael McCabe, treasurer.

Committee Chairmen are Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Gavin Ward Jr., coffee table; Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Michael Zimmerman, debutantes; Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Carl Connell, debutante flowers; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lewis Hymson, decorations; Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Muir Taylor, decorations co–chairman; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wallace Salley, figure; Dr. and Mrs. Hampton Wade Collins III, figure co–chairman; Mr. and Mrs. David Richard Hyatt, house and seating; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Roscoe Moorhead III, house and seating co–chairman; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hunter Howard Jr., invitations; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Laurence Smith, invitations co–chairman; Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Michael Roach, menu; Mr. and Mrs. David Crawford Prezioso, music; Dr. and Mrs. Heath McAlvin Stewart Jr., publicity; Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Read Malcolm, photography; Mr. and Mrs. David Barry Nidiffer Jr., photography co–chairman; Dr. and Mrs. William Ward Lindler, scrapbook; Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Nick Theodore, stags; Mr. and Mrs. Mark Thurston Stuckey, reception; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Otis Kneece, reception co–chairman; and Mr. and Mrs. Otto Wayne Corley, registrar.