For 14 young women from Mt. Lebanon High School, Black Friday was their chance to shine as genuinely deserving “belles of the ball.”

The Medallion Ball, sponsored annually by St. Lucy’s Auxiliary since 1964, held its latest event Nov. 28 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. The Mt. Lebanon contingent was part of the 78 girls honored this year.

St. Lucy’s Auxiliary is an all-female volunteer organization that works with sponsors and partners on projects benefiting people in Pittsburgh who are blind or visually impaired. The Ball formally celebrates the young women who complete the junior medallion program by performing significant volunteer service.

St. Lucy’s Auxiliary President Rhodora Noethling said the organization’s mission has two parts: encouraging a lifelong commitment to volunteer service in young women and raising funds for the visually impaired. All girls invited to the Ball receive the Joan of Arc Medallion from the bishop of the Catholic Diocese. Also vital to the Ball’s success are Amanda Carvelli, chairperson, and Kate Evans, co-chair.

“We recognize young women who have made meaningful contributions to their communities through 150 hours of community service completed over three years — from the end of eighth grade through the end of their junior year,” Noethling said. “They can volunteer right in their own neighborhoods, or they can volunteer nationally or even internationally on mission trips. What connects them is that all their service is done with nonprofit organizations.”

The auxiliary places no restrictions on where participants must volunteer, as long as their work is done with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Many girls serve through their churches, local nonprofits, hospitals and mission trips.

Mt. Lebanon senior, Kathryn Hart said she joined St. Lucy’s Auxiliary because she wanted her service to have a lasting impact.

“I wanted to be part of the St. Lucy’s Auxiliary for the Blind because I think that this organization goes to a great cause,” Hart said. “I also wanted to be part of something bigger and give back to the community.”

She recalled a mission trip as her most meaningful volunteer experience.

“My favorite memory from my volunteer service was on a mission trip,” she said. “My group and I were helping a disabled man who was in a wheelchair who lived in a cluttered house due to hoarding. As the next two days passed, the house still required more cleaning and organization, but it was much easier for him to get around and actually live in it. When we said our goodbyes, he was so grateful that he started crying tears of joy and told us how important this was. I will forever cherish this memory.”

Another Mt. Lebanon senior, Audrey Heim, said she was drawn to the program because it pushed her to explore a wide range of volunteer opportunities.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to complete service, and it motivated me to find diverse places to volunteer,” Heim said. “I really enjoyed that process.”

Her favorite memories come from her time volunteering at the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh.

“My favorite memory was volunteering at the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh and being able to walk over 150 dogs during my two years of service,” she said. “I had the best opportunity to practice behavioral enrichment with the dogs, and I truly saw a difference in the volunteering I was doing. Starting in 10th grade, I realized I had a strong passion for it, and two years later, I know I will continue doing it for years to come.”

Senior Reese Hall said she cherished the opportunity to serve.

“It means a lot to me to be part of a community where we all want to serve others,” Hall said. “My favorite memory was when I volunteered at my local church, St. Bernard’s Fish Fry, during Lent. My sister and I would spend our Friday nights serving dessert to members of the church.”

Another Mt. Lebanon senior, Hayden Maher, said she was drawn to the auxiliary long before she was eligible to join.

“I heard about it in middle school,” Maher said. “I was obsessed with period pieces and the idea of going to the Ball, so when I found out there was a way to do that, I immediately signed up. I also have always enjoyed volunteering, so I was happy to do that part as well.”

Her favorite memory came during her freshman year, while volunteering weekly as a catechist’s aide.

“For my service hours, I volunteered every Wednesday for faith formation at my church,” she said. “One night, I went to a high school basketball game with my friends. In the middle of the game, I heard my name being shouted but couldn’t tell from where. I looked across the gym and saw all the girls from my CCD class waving and shouting my name excitedly. It was so sweet. Creating a connection and bond with the kids throughout the year is always my favorite part and makes it so worth it.”

As for the Ball itself, Noethling described it as a deeply formal and meaningful tradition.

“The Medallion Ball is truly a special and elegant tradition,” she said. “The young women wear white ball gowns and gloves, and the gentlemen are in white tie and tails. We begin with a receiving line with the Catholic bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese, which sets a gracious and celebratory tone for the evening.”

The night includes a seated dinner, dancing, and a waltz and promenade performed by the debutantes. One of the most significant moments, Noethling said, is when the young women receive their Joan of Arc medallions, followed by the alumni waltz, where past honorees join in — a gesture that highlights the tradition’s generational continuity.

“The bishop also shares his remarks each year,” she said. “This year, Bishop Mark Eckman was exceptional and inspiring. He talked about light and St. Lucy, and how hopeful the future feels because of the young women and gentlemen in the room. He spoke about how they’re building a spirit of service and reminded us that the Lord asks us to love, and that’s exactly what service like this is: loving one another.”

To date, after 61 Medallion Balls, more than 5,700 young women have received the Joan of Arc Medallion. Collectively, St. Lucy’s Auxiliary participants have contributed more than 1.6 million hours of service, and the auxiliary has donated more than $4.8 million to organizations supporting people in Pittsburgh who are blind or visually impaired.

Noethling said the organization’s mission continues to inspire.

“I think it’s special to recognize that the vision of our organization is to embrace mothers and daughters — mothers who want to encourage their daughters to volunteer and use this as a pathway forward,” she said. “We’re now in our fourth generation of women doing this work, and it’s exciting that something has lasted for so many decades here in Pittsburgh. The organization is run by volunteers, driven by this desire of moms to instill in their daughters the importance of serving others.”

For those interested in getting involved with St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind, visit stlucysauxiliary.org.