Rich Tri Kappa history, fudge recipe celebrated
The Tri Kappa groups throughout Northwest Indiana are a dedicated and busy membership of women with more than a century of growth and success.
I’ve devoted plenty of ink in my columns and stories to the Tri Kappas in the 18 years I’ve written for various newspapers. And yet there are many people still unfamiliar with the mission and membership of this organization, which is unique to Indiana.
Kappa Kappa Kappa
Inc. is a philanthropic organization that is only found within the boundaries of Indiana and has the mission “to bring women into close, unselfish relationships for the promotion of charity, culture and education.”
The organization was founded on Feb. 22, 1901, by seven women and has grown to nearly 9,000 members, contributing a combined $1.5 million every year to local and state projects. While there are 142 active chapters and 110 associate chapters around our state, the Tri Kappa chapters that I write the most about are based in Crown Point, Dyer-Schererville-St.
John, Gary-MerrillvilleWinfield, Griffith, Hammond, Hobart, Lowell, Munster-Highland, Chesterton, Portage and Valparaiso.
All Tri Kappa members work to promote charity, culture and education throughout the state, and each of the groups have their own unique annual fundraising events. The members of the Crown Point Gamma Theta Chapter, which was founded in 1922, have made and sold more than 5,000 chocolate Easter eggs every year since 1989 and biennially also host a Kitchen Tour of Homes in Crown Point, featuring local chefs and restaurants. The Valparaiso Iota Chapter, launched in 1903, has annual pecan sales and also a Taste of Valparaiso dining event. The Beta Rho Chapter of Tri Kappas, serving the Gary and Merrillville area, organizes an annual fall fashion show and dinner to raise their money.
While each of the chapters has dreamed up unique ideas for raising money, a common cause they share is sponsoring and funding educational scholarships. Peggy Waluk, who serves as the Beta Rho chapter scholarship chair, wrote me for help to get the word out about her chapter’s looming deadline for scholarship opportunities. “The Beta Rho Chapter of Tri Kappa is seeking candidates for local scholarship awards and I’m hoping you please make this information available to your readers,” Waluk said.
“As of now, we only have two applications from two individuals so far. To be eligible, an applicant must have graduated from high schools such as Andrean, Boone Grove, Crown Point, Merrillville or one of the Gary high schools and be a sophomore or higher level student enrolled full-time in an accredited college pursuing a bachelor or higher degree. Interested candidates must have a 3.6 minimum GPA and demonstrate potential within their chosen career fields. Additional state scholarships are available in the areas of academics, fine arts and music. Our Key scholarship is available to individuals with at least a five-year gap in their education and no other undergraduate degree. The deadline for submitting completed application packets is Feb. 16. Contact Peggy Waluk at waluk @netnitco.net or 219-9883639 for further information.”
The Valparaiso chapter, which launched in 1903, was the sixth Tri Kappa group in the state and also has a long history with scholarship opportunities. In 1920, the members launched their first sponsorships, specifically di- rected to help students at Valparaiso University, awarding an initial four scholarships, each for $42. Since then, the Valparaiso chapter has awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships, with most of the money raised from the group’s annual pecan sales.
In 2003, the Tri Kappa Iota Chapter in Valparaiso published a special anniversary cookbook to celebrate their group’s century anniversary. Member Patti Millian’s easy pecan fudge recipe still ranks as one of my favorites 15 years after I first sampled it.
Columnist Philip Potempa has published three cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.