Tag Archives: Red & White Ball

Dance Dance

Posted on May 12, 2014 | 9 comments

A year ago, the end was in sight for the County Assembly and Red & White balls.

After 75 years of operation, organizers of the girl-asks-guy January formal dances could not find enough volunteers to produce the 2014 event.

An APB — including a plea on “06880” — worked. Mothers stepped up, dresses and tuxes were rented, and even big snow could not stop the dances.

That’s the good news. The better news is that over $35,000 was raised and distributed to 23 local organizations supporting youth.

Posing before the Red & White Ball.

Posing before the Red & White Ball.

The Courage to Speak Foundation and Janus Center for Youth in Crisis got $2,500 each.

Checks for $2,000 went to Family and Children’s Agency, Norwalk Youth Symphony, Aunt Terry, Circle of Care, Project Return, A Better Chance of Westport, A Better Chance of Wilton, The Center for Family Justice and Mercy Learning Center.

Other recipients include Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, Operation Hope, Homes With Hope, The Kennedy Center, Trackside Teen Center, The Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Wilton Social Services for Domestic Violence, SafeRides, Weston Food Pantry, Al’s Angels, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club and RAAFT Ludlowe.

If only organizers could charge for the after-parties, there’s no telling how much money they’d raise.

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Posted in Organizations, Teenagers

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County Assemblies May Go Kaput

Posted on May 3, 2013 | 7 comments

After 75 years, the County Assembly and Red & White balls — the girl-asks-guy January formal dances that last year raised over $50,000 for local charities — may be history.

The County Assemblies — the governing board for the 2 events — has sent out an urgent APB.

“We have come to a crossroad,” they say. “We have been unable to fill several board positions. If we cannot do so quickly, we must dissolve our board and cancel all future County Assembly and Red & White Charity Balls.”

The board needs a president, president-elect, treasurer, secretary, and other positions. Meetings are once a month, from September to February.

Interested volunteers should email countyassembliesinfo@gmail.com.

The end of Counties and Red & Whites will disappoint many high school girls (and some boys). Not to mention several charities.

And tons of limousine companies, tuxedo rental shops, dress stores, hair stylists, manicurists, photographers and florists.

Limo

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Posted in Organizations, Teenagers

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A Formal Request

Posted on October 10, 2012 | 70 comments

At the risk of wading into spectacularly unfamiliar territory, here goes:

The big issue among Westport teenage girls these days is…long dresses.

The brouhaha — played out on Facebook and Twitter, and in the pages of the Westport News and Staples High School newspaper Inklings — arose when organizers of two formal dances (“Red & White” for seniors, “Counties” for juniors in Westport, Weston, Wilton and Fairfield) decreed that starting this winter, short skirts are out.

Young women must wear long dresses. (Guys have traditionally worn tuxes.)

Girls (and their mothers) are now debating everything from the financial burden of buying long dresses, to the unspoken tradition that Staples girls wear short dresses to Counties, Red & White and the junior prom, making long dresses at the senior prom something extra-special.

Out or in?

The change was made, the president of the governing County Assemblies organization said, both to uphold tradition — this is the 75th edition of the formal dances — and because of complaints that some dresses were too short.

“It’s not a Hollywood dance party,” president Cathi Zilling told the News. “It is a black-tie formal.”

She noted that the dances began as a way to introduce young people to “social graces and social causes.” (Proceeds are donated to charities.)

Never mind that “social graces” at some of the recent formal dances have included fistfights and vomiting — both, presumably, alcohol-related.

And never mind that no one attends Counties or Red & White because they want to give money to worthy organizations.

It’s all about — like a Hollywood dance party — seeing and being seen. About who goes with whom.

And about pre-gaming, and the after-parties.

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Posted in Staples HS, Teenagers

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Black Tie Mandatory

Posted on January 20, 2011 | 18 comments

As a certain segment of Westport high school students gets all excited about tomorrow night’s Red and White Ball (invite-only; senior girls ask boys) and next Friday’s County Assembly (juniors), here’s a preview photo:

Okay, it’s from 1959 or so.  But don’t Linda Gramatky, Tim Richards, Midge Santis, Nick Monserrat, John Widmer and Judy Hand look smashing?

The shot is a reminder that the “County Assemblies” have been around a long time — since 1938, in fact.

Mrs. Willem C. Schilthius of Westport organized the 1st formal 73 years ago “to promote inter-town friendships, instill social graces, and provide financial support to organizations benefiting adolescents.”

Most teenagers today — and probably their parents — have no idea it’s a charity event.  And the number of inter-town friendships made, and social graces instilled, is probably on the low side.

Still, it’s an event some Staples students look forward to for a long time.  That, and the after-parties.

Click “Comments” to add your memories of Westport’s winter formal dances.  Don’t worry — the statute of limitations is up.

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