Each year the Symphony Ball debutantes participate in a community service project as part of the beginning of the debutante season.  Proceeds from the Symphony Ball benefit the Symphony Orchestra.  To highlight music and community service, this year the event joined efforts with two local organizations for their service projects:  Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and Huntsville Hospital Foundation.  The Service Project, which was held Friday,  the 22^nd of May,  2015, started with the debutantes gathering at the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra office wearing coordinating T-shirts.

Julie Noles, immediate-past Education Director of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, led the debutantes in their first service project of the day, as they cleaned the violins for the Huntsville Symphony School’s third grade violin program.  Ms. Noles provided a history lesson to the group on the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony School and provided an impromptu violin lesson. While the debutantes were busy cleaning violins, they were entertained by the music of five young members of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra.

The young ladies then boarded the 1920’s vintage-inspired downtown Huntsville trolley for a ride to the campus of Huntsville Hospital.  They were first served lunch, catered by former debutante LeeLee Wiginton from Lyn’s Gracious Goodness, at the Huntsville Hospital Plaza Resource Center.  Candy Burnett, President of Huntsville Hospital Foundation, shared “tips for success,” concerning resumes, interviews, first impressions, integrity, etc.  They then walked across the street to the Hospital, where they divided into two groups.  One group served refreshments to families in the Surgery Waiting Room and in the ICU Waiting Area.  Huntsville Symphony Orchestra’s harpist, Katherine Newman, serenaded everyone in the ICU Waiting Area.  The second group put together packages containing crayons and coloring books that were illustrated by the late Bill May, father of Debutante Hughston May.  The two groups then switched projects, and each group performed the other task. The coloring books will be given to Huntsville Hospital patients visiting the Pediatric Emergency Room and those in both the Pediatric Unit and the Pediatric ICU.

Huntsville Hospital Foundation employee Jordan McMullan, who coordinated the hospital visit, is also a former debutante.  Debutante Service Project coordinators from the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild were Lori Gregory, Bobsy Ingram, Elaine Pollard, and Karen Kimbrough.  The young ladies will formally be introduced to the community during the 52^nd Symphony Ball on October 24.

The debutantes thoroughly enjoyed their busy day.  The Billy Joel quote on the T-shirt summoned up the event:  “I think music in itself is healing…it’s something we are all touched by.  No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”