Photo by Michael Donahue // Buy this photo
Grace Bethell (second from left) is president of the Memphis Junior Cotillion Club, and Caroline Hughes is vice president. Their escorts at the Presentation and Holiday Ball were Frederick Scharff (left) and Lane Sally.
Wearing a knee brace and sunglasses and carrying a gold-handled cane that belonged to the late Memphis mayor E.H. "Boss" Crump, Nate Utkov hit the dance floor with Jordan Upton at the Memphis Junior Cotillion Presentation and Holiday Ball last Tuesday evening at The Peabody.
Former city councilman Jack Sammons, father of debutante Neely Sammons loaned the cane to Nate, who suffered a knee injury while playing soccer for Memphis University School.
"Boss Crump left it to my dad, who owned The Lobster Shack," Jack said. Jack's dad was the late restaurateur Pappy Sammons. The mayor, who used to eat three times a week at The Lobster Shack, left three canes to Pappy in 1954 and told him he wanted the canes displayed at the restaurant, Jack said.
As for allowing Nate to use the cane, Jack said, "This is a historic night. Why not have a little piece of Memphis history?"
The Memphis Junior Cotillion Club, which dates to at least 1928, is composed of 11th- and 12th-grade students at Hutchison School or St. Mary's Episcopal School or legacies of former members. This year, Junior Cotillion supported Ronald McDonald House.
More than 100 juniors and seniors were presented in the Continental Ballroom.
Following the presentation, the young women and their escorts moved to the Venetian ballroom where they danced to the music of Party Planet and deejay Mark Anderson and dined on pizza and hamburgers.
Grace Bethell, Memphis Junior Cotillion Club president, was escorted by Frederick Scharff. Caroline Hughes, the vice president, was escorted by Lane Sally.
Riverside Yuletide
Collier Calandruccio wore a vintage smoking jacket to the Riverside Yuletide party. The red jacket prompted Oliver Green to jokingly dub Collier the "Hugh Hefner Santa."
The jacket belonged to his grandfather, the late John Collier, "when he was my age or a little younger," Collier said. "He was the dandy. I just have his hand-me-down."
About 275 attended the holiday fundraiser for Porter-Leath on Friday night, said Chad Cunningham, who hosted the party with Michael Waters and Rob Park.
Reliance performed.
Ambassadors' party
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson and his wife, Melba, hosted a holiday party for UofM ambassadors and other guests in the Ambassadors' Room at FedExForum on the evening of the Dec. 19 Tigers vs. Lipscomb game. Ambassadors are people who committed to donate $500,000 over a four-year period to the UofM athletic department.
Among the guests were former Shelby County mayor Bill Morris, Mike Rose and his wife, Debbi Fields Rose; Honey and Rudi Scheidt; and Dina and Brad Martin.
Carnival Memphis
John Phillips was officially named 2012 president of Carnival Memphis at the organization's annual meeting/member party Wednesday at the University Club of Memphis.
Ed Galfsky, Carnival Memphis executive director, presented the silver mace, which is inscribed with the names of all the presidents since 1931, when Cotton Carnival, the forerunner of Carnival Memphis, began. John's name will be added later. The mace, which resembles a scepter, was given to Cotton Carnival in 1932.
John, whose daughter, Paige Phillips, was Carnival queen in 2009, reminded the audience that Carnival began during the Depression as a way to "put a smile" on everyone's face. In about a month, Carnival Memphis grand krewes will began presenting their royalty at parties. Carnival Week, held in the spring, will include parties and charitable visits.
Also announced were the recipients of the Carnival Memphis Children's Charity Initiative: the Jubilee Schools of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis; Scout Reach, a Boy Scouts of America program; and School Advocates for Vision & Education (SAVE).
-- Michael Donahue: (901) 529-2797; donahue@commercialappeal.com
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