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Bachelors Club Debutantes
From left: Parker Kays, Oliver Pointer, Blake Oliver, Jillian Hibbard, Pearce Wade, Caden Reynolds and Blake Miller. Per tradition, members of the Bachelors Club surprise debutantes with champagne and roses on Thanksgiving morning.
Contents
BACHELORS CLUB DEBUTANTES Coverage of this year’s court, plus portraits of the debutantes, begins on Page 4 and continues on Page 6.
PIVOT, A TURNING POINT FOR YOUTH Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth, works with young people lacking stability in their lives. They are sometimes homeless or couch homeless, alone or disengaged. Many live with damaging labels and shame. Page 5.
ON THE COVER:
Members of the Bachelors Club gather for a photo at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club on Thanksgiving morning before embarking on visits to each of their 20 debutantes. From left: Bottom row, Brody Gibbs, Will McMurphy, Parker Kays and Oliver Pointer; second row, Cooper Moody, Caden Reynolds, Grant McLain and Henry Jackson; third row, Luke Chansolme, Blake Miller, Jacob Margo and Owen Crotts; fourth row, Adam Wheeler, Teddy Jacobsen and Blake Oliver; fifth row, Pearce Wade, Rhodes Haggard, Luke Mashburn and Brennan Wade; and sixth row, Charlie Medley, Gabe Grim and Eddie Cook.
Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 3
Karoline Alice Leonard is escorted by Bachelors Club member Brandon Matthew Knight during the 2022 Ball.
Members of Bachelors Club to escort debs
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Twenty women will make their debut at the 77th annual Bachelors Club Christmas Ball on Friday, Dec. 22, at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. The black‐tie ball is set to begin at 8 p.m. with the debu‐ tante presentation to begin at 9 p.m. Each debutante is escort‐ ed by a member of the Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City. The debutantes and their parents are: Rachel Constance Abbott, daughter of Maria and Craig Abbott; Alison Marie Anderson (Ali), daughter of Chelle and Daniel Weintraub and the late Murray Anderson; Julianne Elizabeth Bentley, daughter of Steven Bentley and Jennifer Conger Bentley; Catherine Anne Carter (Cate), daughter of Chip Carter and Lori Smith Carter; Victoria Jane Cohn, daugh‐ ter of Tim Cohn and Brooke Thomas‐Cohn; Lily‐Kate Duit, daughter of Heather and Tim Duit; Hadley Scheyer Ferguson, daughter of Lauren and Brian Ferguson; Jillian Brooke Hibbard, daughter of Robin and Robert Hibbard; and Gabriella Naji Karam, daughter of Courtney and Dr. Naji Karam; and Hannah Sydney Lee, daughter of Ashley and Cavett Lee. Also, William Craig McMurphy (Will), son of Megan and Curtis McMurphy; Charles Durden Medley, son of Diane and Daniel Medley; Blake Oakley Miller, son of Laurie and Kelly Miller; Cooper Monahan Moody, son of Kelly and Dr. Brent Moody; David Blake Oliver (Blake), son of Jennifer and David Oliver and Karen Wright; Oliver Cromwell Rogers Pointer, son of Suzanne Pointer; Caden Edward Reynolds, son of Suzanne and Robert Reynolds; Brennan Charles Wade, son of Paula and Buddy Wade; Pearce Garnett Wade, son of Paula and Buddy Wade; and Adam Patrick Wheeler, 4 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
son of Kay and Lane Wheeler. After the debs are presented, guests dance to the music of Souled Out and the evening concludes with a late breakfast. Pivot, a Turning Point for Youth, will be the recipient of the charitable proceeds of this year’s ball, a local nonprofit desig‐ nated by Club President Eddie Cook. Pivot works with young people who are lacking stability in their lives and offers pro‐ grams that meet housing and basic needs; education and job assistance; mentoring and life skills development; prevention and intervention services; and therapeutic care. “I chose Pivot because they’re dedicated to providing a safe environment and compassionate support for young people in need, ensuring they have the care and resources to build brighter futures,” Cook said. According to tradition, Bachelors Club members – “escorts” – invite the women to be debutantes on Thanksgiving Day. They present each debutante personally with an invitation and a rose and toast them with a glass of champagne. This year, in honor of a new jam‐making program at Pivot, each debutante also received a jar of Pivot Preserves. The Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City has raised more than $1,050,000 for local charities through its annual Christmas Ball. Last year, the ball raised $35,000 for Fields and Futures The Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City was founded in 1938 by a group of young men who wished to promote the social and philanthropic undertakings as well as leadership in the Oklahoma City area. The debutante presentation began in 1945 as a way to raise funds for various Oklahoma City chari‐ ties. It has been held annually, except in 2020 due to the pan‐ demic, since then.
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Established in 1972, Pivot, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that advocates, educates, intervenes and counsels youth and families to make a positive differ‐ ence in their lives. Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth, works with young people lacking stabil‐ ity in their lives. They are sometimes homeless or couch homeless, alone or disengaged. Many live with damaging labels and shame. Almost all are ages 12 to 21 and have overwhelming barriers in their lives without the resources to overcome them and successfully transi‐ tion into self‐reliant adults. Pivot is committed to long‐term impact in the lives of the youth it serves. The organization provides programs and services that focus on meeting
A Turning Point for Youth is committed to making a long‑term impact housing and basic needs; education and job assistance; mentoring and life skills development; prevention and interven‐ tion services; and therapeutic care. “At Pivot, we help youth move from a place of fear and instability to one of hope and opportunity,” Pivot leaders said. What Pivot does Pivot’s comprehensive services help young people transition into healthy, self‐reliant adults. Meeting housing and basic needs. There are many young people in the community who need a safe, secure place to stay as well as access to basic necessities like food, personal hygiene items and clothing. Pivot offers support and resources through its food pantry
and clothing closets, as well as short and long‐term housing solutions. Whether in the child welfare system, liv‐ ing on their own without parental sup‐ port, formerly juvenile justice involved, or a runaway, Pivot provides safe, stable housing. Providing education and job assis‑ tance. Pivot believes regardless of where a child is from or the barriers they face, they are worthy of having suc‐ cess in education, finding a job and planning for a career in the field they choose. At Pivot, part of each young per‐ son’s experience includes the opportu‐ nity to graduate from high school, fur‐ ther their education, gain vital life skills and achieve job readiness. For more, see Page 15
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Bachelors Club
Rachel Abbott
Ali Anderson
Julianne Bentley
Cate Carter
Rachel Constance Abbott, daughter of Maria and Dr. Craig Abbott.
Alison Marie Anderson, daughter of Chelle and Daniel Weintraub and the late Murray Anderson.
Julianne Elizabeth Bentley, daughter of Steven Bentley and Jennifer Conger Bentley.
Catherine Anne Carter, daughter of Chip Carter and Lori Smith Carter.
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2023 Debutantes
Victoria Cohn
Lily-Kate Duit
Hadley Ferguson
Jillian Hibbard
Victoria Jane Cohn, daughter of Tim Cohn and Brooke Thomas‐Cohn.
Lily‐Kate Duit, daughter of Heather and Tim Duit.
Hadley Scheyer Ferguson, daughter of Lauren and Brian Ferguson.
Jillian Brooke Hibbard, daughter of Robin and Robert Hibbard.
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Bachelors Club
Gabriella Karam
Hannah Lee
MadgeLister
Sophia Mathis
Gabriella Naji Karam, daughter of Courtney and Dr. Naji Karam.
Hannah Sydney Lee, daughter of Ashley and Cavett Lee.
Madelyn Grace Lister, daughter of Jenee and Darren Lister.
Sophia Elizabeth Mathis, daughter of Terry and Bill Mathis.
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2023 Debutantes
Peyton McCuan
Jane Nelson
Isabela Pardo
Elliott Reiger
Peyton Claire McCuan, daughter of Tabitha and Stuart McCuan.
Jane Anne Nelson, daughter of Dr. Leslie Rundell and Eric Nelson.
Isabela Hampton Pardo, daughter of Dr. Diana Hampton and Dr. Gabriel Pardo.
Elliott Frei Reiger, daughter of Cristi and Kurt Reiger.
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Bachelors Club Debutantes
Presley Roselius
Caroline Roten
Aubrey Ruffin
Katie Russell
Presley Ann Roselius, daughter of the late Jason Roselius and David and Terri Ogle.
Caroline Marie Roten, daughter of Becky and Alan Roten.
Aubrey Elizabeth Ruffin, daughter of the late Mark Edward Ruffin and Manda Ruffin.
Katherine Jane Russell, daughter of Rick Russell and Leslie and Lance Norick.
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A tradition!
Bachelors Club members Grant McLain and Luke Mashburn toast Debutante Aubrey Ruffin at her home on Thanksgiving morning. The men dress in tuxedos and ride in limos to bring the ladies invitations and roses, as well as perform the toast.
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From left: Will McMurphy, Charlie Medley, Gabriel Pardo, Isabela Pardo, Diana Hampton, Grant McLain, Brody Gibbs and Luke Mashburn as Isabela is invited to be a part of the Bachelors Club court. The ball is set for Friday, Dec. 22, at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.
Bachelors Club surprises debutantes
Above: Gabriella Karam. At left: From left, Rhodes Haggard, Kate Russell, Eddie Cook and Owen Crotts. 12 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
Toasting Bachelors Club debutante Hadley Ferguson, right, are club members Gabe Grim, Teddy Jacobsen and Luke Chansolme. Per tradition, the young men load up in limos to bring the debutantes invitations, champagne and roses.
Bachelors Club: Steeped in tradition
Bill , Sophia and Terry Mathis. OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 13
Adam Wheeler, Cooper Moody, Eddie Cook, Rhodes Haggard, Victoria Cohn, Henry Jackson and Owen Crotts toast Victoria on Thanksgiving morning.
A Shapard Thanksgiving tradition Teddy Jacobsen finished his day with mom Nicole, brother Tucker and dad Jeff at the Supper Bowl. The Thanksgiving Day football game was founded by Nicole’s father, the late Eddie Shapard, in 1971. The Shapard family event includes a 20page color program, parades, pregame ceremonies and much more. The Grammees take on the Big Papas in a much-anticipated game played at Fumble Field, aka Grand Boulevard Park. 14 | OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine
A toast to the Bachelors Club! Debutantes Madge Lister, Victoria Cohn, Kate Russell, Ali Anderson and Rachel Abbott toast the Bachelors Club on Thanksgiving morning.
Continued from Page 5 Prevention and intervention. Bad decisions, environmental factors, addic‐ tion, unidentified trauma, lack of super‐ vision and undiagnosed mental health disorders can lead youth down the wrong path. By addressing basic needs and housing stability, education and employment and providing therapeutic care — true prevention and intervention can happen. Through Pivot, youth are equipped to dramatically change the tra‐ jectory of their lives — helping them transition from a life of fear and instabil‐ ity to one of hope and opportunity. Therapeutic care. Pivot strives to address the root cause of behaviors, cir‐ cumstances and barriers the youth we
serve face. Our licensed therapists, youth advocates and specialists are trained to identify adverse childhood experiences that range from physical, emotional or sexual abuse, to community violence, parental divorce or the incarceration of a parent or guardian. Each young person who comes to Pivot has access to resources and services that address their physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health needs. Pivot can also help with depression, poor nutrition, high risk behaviors, substance abuse, anxiety, unlawful actions and grief. Programs. The following are pro‐ grams and services offered by Pivot. Regardless of point of entry (i.e., pro‐ gram), we address the five domains of basic needs and housing, education, employment, permanent connections and well‐being. Research shows, and we have also experienced, by addressing these five domains youth are more likely to engage in and graduate from high
school, further their education and tran‐ sition into self‐sufficient adults. Pivot believes the achievement of education and gaining vital life skills equips young people with the ability to secure and maintain employment and gives them the best chance to successful‐ ly transition to adulthood. Across all pro‐ grams at Pivot, part of each young per‐ son’s experience includes the opportuni‐ ty to graduate from high school, apply for college or vocational school, apply for financial aid for school, build job search skills, achieve employment readi‐ ness, maintain employment and gain vital life skills. Pivot also believes that regardless of the circumstances from which young people come or the obstacles they face, they deserve access to educational and vocational opportunities, a stable and safe place to live, healthy permanent connections and overall well‐being. Pivot is “A Turning Point for Youth.” OKC FRIDAY Community Magazine | 15