Kappa Kappa Gamma Leads Students at Knox College to Raise nearly $2,000 for BRAC Safe Spaces and Small Loans for Girls in Tanzania

by Chloe Bohm, Knox College Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma

On the evening of October 24^th, 2008 the ladies of the Eta Kappa chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois brought students, parents, and other members of the Greek community together for their second annual “Win-A-Date” event. This year a total of $1,856.15 was to support Girl Effect through BRAC programs for Safe Spaces and Small Loans for Teenage Girls in Tanzania. The evening was the culmination of a week of fundraising through change wars between Greek organizations on campus.

The two members from each of the social Greek organizations Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Phi Gamma Delta, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, and colony, ATP, as well as from the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity and Sigma Alpha Iota Music Sorority volunteered to be hosts and hostesses for the dates. Local businesses donated dinner, movie, and bowling certificates, which were given as prizes to the winning bidders and their dates. Among the many generous donations made that evening was one exceptional date that sold for over $230.

Kappa Kappa Gamma highly values philanthropic endeavors and felt a special connection to this particular cause not only as women, but also from the personal experiences of its members. Emily Putnum’s (2010) travels in Uganda inspired the first Uganda Initiative event in 2007. Another member, Emily Jensen (2008) studied abroad in Tanzania in 2007. Kappa Kappa Gamma nationally supports Reading is Fundamental (www.rif.org), an organization devoted to the gift of education for all. Kappa Kappa Gamma was one of the first women’s fraternities, founded at Monmouth College in 1870. With this in mind, Eta Kappa chapter was inspired by Girl Effect and is proud to support the education and empowerment of women internationally.<