LOWELL | While Tri Kappa sorority is more than 100 years old, Lowell's Zeta Chi chapter is a relative youngsters at just 34 years. Yet this local chapter of the service sorority exclusive to Indiana is celebrating more than three decades of dedicated service and tens of thousands of dollars of charity to its community this week in honor of Tri Kappas Week, Feb. 21-27.
Zeta Chi is probably best known for the Breakfast with Santa it sponsors annually at Lowell Middle School, and more recently for the Easter Bunny Luncheon that was a big hit in when it debuted in 2009 and returns this year from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 20 at Oak Hill Elementary School, 425 S. Nichols St., Lowell. Cost is $3 per person for a hot dog lunch, photos with the Easter Bunny, a cake walk, a basket raffle and the opportunity to purchase tickets for a variety of carnival games. Enter by Door 9.
Other fundraisers have included flower sales, cookbook sales, raffles and decorated pumpkin sales at Halloween. In recent years, Zeta Chi members have enjoyed staffing the Information Booth at the Lake County Fair. Proceeds from these fundraisers are funneled into philanthropic projects which benefit the community, including high school and continuing education scholarships, support for local food pantries and St. Jude House shelter, and contributions to local youth groups, student theater, music and academic groups, and support for cultural organizations.
Zeta Chi is also committed to service. "A typical program consists of staffing the ticket gate for the Buckley Homestead Fall Festival, working at the Lowell Public Library's book sale in June, helping with American Red Cross blood drives at the library, sponsoring Easter baskets for needy children and families in the Tri-Creek community, contributing items to local food pantries, walking for MS and hosting an Evening with the Arts event at Lowell High School," said Zeta Chi President Betty O'Neill.
This year's Evening with the Arts, showcasing all of the art, theater, vocal and instrumental music programs in the Tri-Creek School Corp., will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 24 at Lowell High School, 2051 E. Commercial Ave. Guests are served dessert and given tours of the high school art exhibits while enjoying live entertainment by students and professional artists. A raffle for several donated pieces of art is also available. Admission is free, but donations will be used to support student art and performance groups.
Each Kappa Kappa Kappa chapter is committed to promoting an awareness of art, education and culture. Scholarships are a focal point of this endeavor, and Zeta Chi annually awards at least one $1,000 and one $500 scholarship to Lowell High School graduates, as well as one scholarship to a woman returning to a degree program at a college or university.
Founded on the principle that acts of charity and kindness should be at the core of what an individual does, seven young women founded Kappa Kappa Kappa in 1901 in Indianapolis to support each other in philanthropic endeavors. The group has grown to include chapters throughout the state that support local and statewide philanthropy.
For more information about Zeta Chi activities, contact O'Neill at (219) 696-4266.
