Emma Kate Kalinauskas was named the 2021 Belle of the Ball Saturday night for the 69th annual Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County's Charity Ball.
Kalinauskas represented the South Hall Rotary Club. She was one of four belle candidates; the other bell candidates included Chloe Echols, representative for the Gainesville Rotary Club; Elizabeth Payne, representative for the Gainesville Jaycees and Kinsley Kirby, representative for the Kiwanis Club.
Each year belle candidates are named ahead of the Charity Ball and raise money on behalf of the civic organization they represent. The belle who raises the most money is named Belle of the Ball.
League President Ashton Meeks announced before the crowning of the Belle of the Ball Saturday night that this year's four candidates raised more money than the previous three years combined for a total of more than $432,000.
Funds raised by the belles go toward internal league projects. A portion of the funds are also set aside for the league's Signature Grant, which is awarded to one or more local nonprofits every five years.
Belles are either rising juniors or seniors in high school. Kalinauskas is a junior at Lanier Christian Academy, according to info provided by the league. She is the daughter of Andy and Brooke Kalinauskas and the granddaughter of Doug and Diane Magnus, Barry and Sally Patrick, Rom and Nora Kalinauskas and Nancy Jamison.
Kalinauskas is on the varsity volleyball team at Lanier Christian Academy. She is also a member of BETA Club, serves as a D- Group Leader, CFA Leadership club and plays volleyball for Lanier Volleyball Club.
After high school, Kalinauskas hopes to attend the University of Georgia.
This year's Charity Ball was held at the Gainesville Civic Center. The ball was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ball raises money through the sale of tickets each year to further league initiatives such as Diaper Bank of North Georgia, Feeding our Future and Done in a Day projects.
