Lance Avery Morgan
Helping Hand Home Hosts 80th Annual Crystal Ball Presentation & Gala
By Rose Betty Williams
Photography by Chris Caselli, Buster Jetter, Ben Porter and Rose Betty Williams
THE SCENE: Helping Hand Society recently celebrated the 80th annual Crystal Ball with a champagne brunch and a black tie Debutante Presentation Gala at the Palmer Events Center. More than 2000 guests attended to view the thirty four debutantes, their escorts and junior escorts who were presented along with 91 ninth grade Helping Hand Girls, 67 ninth grade Helping Hand Boys and 41 first grade Princesses.
THE VIBE: Helping Hand Home for Children’s Executive Director Ted Keyser and HH Society President Brannon Smith welcomed the capacity crowd to the brunch that featured a video of Helping Hand forever families with the Home’s foster-to-adopt program. Master of Ceremonies Jim Spencer presented the Princesses, introduced the HH Girls and the HH Debutantes. The glamorous gala featured the debutante presentation, a silent auction, raffle, dinner, floral decorations by Westbank Flower Market, and dancing to the music of Blind Date.
The 2023 HH Crystal Ball debutantes are: Drew Ainsworth Adams, Channing Elizabeth Allen, Caroline Leigh Anderson, Mary Lynn Barton, Ava Katherine Belew, Riley Anna Chesney, Anne Elizabeth Goldman, Sydney Paige Goodman, Samantha Frances Gunkel, Kendall Kaufman Hall, Ella Caroline Haydon, Nicole Catherine Heyer, Caroline Adelle Hinson, Lindsay Beckham Kayser, Isabella E’Lee Koch, Caroline Ashley Latham, Frances Lorraine Lewis, Caroline Anne Martineau, Ella Grace McCutchin, Charlotte Faye Mountain, Mary Caroline Nelson, Hannah Elizabeth Parks, Elisabeth Catherine Peeler, Marjorie Lynn Wallace Peirce, Anne Elizabeth Rives, Sydney Davenport Sartain, Katie Arnall Seiders, Eleanor Martha Shepperd, Anna May Rains Stouse, Susanna Lee Talbert, Mia Anne Tobias, Mary Charlotte Warner, Georgia Presley West, and Lauren Rene Williams.
Lathrop and Brannon Smith
THE NON-PROFIT: Lindsey Sartain and Christy Werner co-chaired the 2023 Crystal Ball, raised nearly $2 million, an all-time record for the event. They expressed deep gratitude for the generosity of the participants, their families and friends and the Austin community. They thanked the gala committee and HH Society members and volunteers for the countless hours of hard work, dedication, and commitment to make the event an extraordinary success. Gala proceeds benefit The Home’s mission to provide a safe haven for children healing from physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, or abandonment, to deliver a continuum of services including therapeutic residential treatment, on-site charter school, foster care program, adoption, family support programs, and the East Campus expansion that will increase capacity by 41% and will be completed later this year.
