Most St. Louisans have heard of the Veiled Prophet organization, but not all are aware of how it has changed over recent decades. As St. Louis’ oldest social, civic and philanthropic group, founded in 1878 by local businessmen, it always has focused on the contributions of its male members to the fabric of our community. But in recent years, the VP Ball, a major social event in which members’ daughters are honored during a winter gala, has emphasized community involvement on the part of the young women as well. Today the ball is less about a debutante’s coming out party and more about recognizing the ways these young women already have served St. Louis—and will continue to do so. “The event is a way of presenting the women to the city so that they might better serve it,” says VP spokesman Tom Cooke. Here, a few of this year’s maids speak on the importance of giving back.
Abigail Desai, MICDS (2014)
Abigail Desai (pictured above) says that even though she currently resides on the other side of the country in California, being involved in the VP helps her remain connected to her hometown. Her roots are deep, her dedication to the community strong. “Being a part of the VP is a wonderful way to get involved,” she says, citing the work she has done for the city. Especially fulfilling, she remembers, was packing food for Food Outreach, which provides meals to people with cancer and HIV or AIDS. “My father and I did it together. It was very special,” she says. She also has worked with the VP on Operation Sunscreen, a program that sends toiletries and treats to troops deployed overseas. During winter break of her senior year at MICDS, she volunteered at an orphanage in Kenya. Desai took backpacks of gifts for the children. “It was an amazing and eye-opening experience,” she says. “Most of them had never been given anything new.”
Desai, who is a finance major, says the VP is preparing her for a life of service. She credits the VP Order with facilitating community involvement by helping young women decide how they might help, and by making the necessary connections for them. “I’m sure I will return to St. Louis after college,” Desai says. “And when I look for companies to join, I will be looking at those with a commitment to the people of St. Louis. The VP has shown me why that is so important.”
Emily Dove attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School and graduated in the top 10 percent of her class. Her long list of service includes assisting the Bay Harbor Foundation in Bay Harbor, Michigan, with fundraising efforts and volunteering in 2012 as a Spanish translator and English teacher at different orphanages in Chincha Alta, a city in Peru that suffered an earthquake.
Dove says the VP has taught her the importance of giving back to the community. “It’s so easy for people to get caught up in their jobs and lives,” she says. “But it’s important to help others. Not everyone has the same opportunities.” Her most meaningful service in St. Louis, she says, was her role as president of Due Care, a club at Ladue High School that raised money to provide financial aid for students in the Ladue School District. The students remained anonymous, but Dove says it was a great feeling to know she was directly affecting classmates. Dove’s mother walked at the ball years ago, and her younger sister will be presented in three years.
Olivia Polk is the fourth generation of her family to be presented. Her grandmother was a Special Maid. Polk says she still has the dress her grandmother wore. “It’s beautiful—cream satin with a rhinestone belt. I haven’t had the chance to wear it yet, but it’s one of my favorite things in my closet,” she says. Now only the queen wears white. “I suppose the dresses are another difference from how the VP used to be,” she says.
Polk thinks the most important part of the VP’s mission is the dedication to improving the lives of St. Louisans. She has worked as a volunteer for Beyond Housing, Rainbow Village and North Side Community School. One of her favorite charity events was the men’s march, ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,’ against sexual assault and gender violence. “It was so funny to see so many men walking around downtown in red high heels,” she says. “I never thought I’d see my dad rock pumps!”