From left: Bachelors Club members Max Hardberger, Michael McLaughlin, Eddie Cook and Parker Kays prepare to surprise one of the debutantes on Thanksgiving morning. According to tradition, Bachelors Club members 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.
Fields & Futures helps insure student success by growing sports participation. Page 5.
Coverage of this year’s court, plus portraits of the Debutantes, begins on Page 4 and continues on Page 6.
The beneficiary of this year’s Bachelor’s Club Ball, the organization’s goal is to help OKCPS put more students on a better path to graduation by growing sports participation at the middle school and high school levels. Page 5.
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 22 Debutantes. From left: Front row, Spencer Simms, Zane Hermen, Baker Burns and Eddie Cook; second row, Range Faulkner, Matthew Harper, Matthew McClintock and Michael McLaughlin; third row, Christopher Hendee, Henry Johnston, Carter Cole and William Jackson; fourth row, Brandon Knight, Preston Nelson and Faisal Saheli; and back row, Tom Hughes, Max Hardberger, Parker Kays and Drew Elerick.
Bachelors Club member Austin Hill with Debutante Julia Love and the Bachelor’s Club Brandon Knight during the 2021 ball.
Twenty‐two women are to make their debut at the 76th annual Bachelors Club Charity Ball on Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. The black‐tie ball begins at 8 p.m. with the debutante presentation to start at 9 p.m.
Each debutante is escorted by a member of the Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City.
After the debs are presented, guests dance to the music of Souled Out and the evening concludes with a late breakfast.
Fields and Futures is the recipient of the charitable proceeds of this year’s ball, a local nonprofit designated by Club President Preston Nelson. The Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City has raised more than $1,015,000 for local charities through its annual Charity Ball.
“We are looking forward to another lively Ball and donating to Fields and Futures, a charity that makes such an impact in Oklahoma City’s youth,” said Ball Chairman Erika Mattison.
According to tradition, Bachelors Club members 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.
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 charities. It has been held annu‐ally, except in 2020 due to the pandemic, since then.
The escorts and their parents are as follows: Baker Cole Burns, son of Lindsey and Brandon Burns; Carter Steven Cole, son of Janna and Steven Cole; James Edward Brooks Cook II, son of Sara and James Cook; Andrew Jackson Elerick, son of Keri and Christopher Elerick; Range Faulkner, son of Brittany and Drew Faulkner; Michael Warren Feighny, son of Amy and Jim Feighny; Robert Maxwell Hardberger, son of Crystal and Derek Hardberger; Matthew Edward Harper, son of Penny and David Harper; Nicholas Zane Hermen, son of Tamara and Jeffrey Hermen; Thomas Edward Hughes, son of Mary Jane and Ronald Hughes; William Gray Jackson, son of Maryanne and Paul Jackson; and Jacob Henry Johnston, son of Erin and Craig Johnston.
Also, Parker Scott Kays, son of Shelley and Jason Kays; Brandon Matthew Knight, son of Charlie and Thomas Knight; Grant Harrison McLain, son of Janet and Scott McLain; Michael David McLaughlin, son of Christina and Robert McLaughlin; Matthew McClintock, son of Niki and Michael McClintock; Preston Monroe Nelson, son of Kerry Stephens Nelson and Stanton Nelson; Faisal Mekki Saheli, son of Mekki and Weama Saheli; Richard Spencer Simms, son of Richard Simms and Whitney Simms; Martin Davidson Smith, son of Karen and Martin Smith; Cooper Thomas Terlip, son of Laura and Guy Turlip; and Christopher Meade Hendee, son of Caroline and Durward Hendee.
AAfter seeing firsthand the poor condi‐tion of many athletic fields in the Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) school district, Fields & Futures founders Liz and Tim McLaughlin con‐nected the dots between the district’s below‐national‐average rates for gradu‐ation and sports participation. With that revelation, Fields & Futures was created with a singular aspiration: To help OKCPS put more students on a better path to graduation by growing sports participation at the middle school and high school levels.
The way to accomplish this was clear – rebuild and maintain athletic fields across the entire district, they said.
Before Fields & Futures’ first field project in 2012, it had been decades since most OKCPS schools had well maintained athletic fields, the McLaughlins said. Sports participation had dwindled.
”Kids didn’t want to play on patches of dirt littered with rocks and standing in water,” they said.
But the tide began to change as soon as dirt started to move at Jefferson Middle School.
“Suddenly, the eyes of the city were upon us,” the McLaughlins continued. “Communities took notice. Kids got excited. Rosters grew. Hope and pride were restored.”
Jefferson’s multi‐sport complex was proof the district was committed to empowering its students, creating opportunities, and changing its culture.
By the time Fields & Futures finished at Jefferson, OKCPS and Oklahoma City Public Schools Athletics were picking up momentum. Twenty fields later, the kinetic energy hasn’t dwindled.
“Today, more students are playing more sports,” the McLaughlins said. “More coaches are changing lives. More teams are influencing actions. More stu‐dents are realizing their potential.
“By building better athletic fields, we are building better students, better leaders and a better future.”
Tessa Maria Jane Ayers is the daughter of Tracey and Troy Ayers.
Holly
Dianne Elaine Bohanon is the daughter of Kristen and David Bohanon.
Ella Rose Condon is the daughter of Sheri and Bill Condon.
Laura Faye Cunningham (Lolo) is the daughter of Mindy and Paul Brown and Stan Cunningham.
Camryn
Emiline Tallulah Henderson is the daughter of Missy and Robin Henderson.
Katherine Leigh Hill is the daughter of Shannon and David Hill.
Karoline Alice Leonard is the daughter of Kristi and Ran Leonard.
Meghan
Isabelle
Anna
Elizabeth
Riley
AnnaKate
Ashley Marie Schwarz is the daughter of Dana and Keith Schwarz.
Sterling McCall Senner is the daughter of Deborah and Scott Senner.
Margaret Hayes Sullivan is the daughter of Lauren and Andy Sullivan,
Margaret Corinne Tidholm is the daughter of Mary and John Tidholm.
Anna Lee Young is the daughter of the late Lee Young and Alison Young.
Ashley Schwarz
Sterling Senner Hayes Sullivan Margaret Tidholm
Above, from left: Matthew McClintock, Drew Elerick, Carter Cole, Emiline Henderson, Christopher Hendee and Baker Burns. As per Bachelors Club tradition, members of the organization travel by limo to each Debutante’s home on Thanksgiving morning to present them with champagne and a rose.
At left: Grant McLain, Faisal Saheli, Matt Harper, Holly Danner, Henry Johnston and Preston Nelson.
Thanksgiving morning, Sterling’s dad Scott dressed up in his tux and surprised her with the announcement at the door to her cabin. Here, they toast the Bachelors Club with the ocean in
