TIPTON — A group of young women zipped about the conference room at the C.W. Mount Community Center, pouring tea for a room packed with supporters of the Tipton County Foundation’s Women’s Fund endowment.
As the tea pot-toting waitresses served Buckingham Palace Tea to the more than 150 women in the room, choir teacher Kelly Williams from Tri Central High School, clad as the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland,” played “A Very Merry Un-birthday to You!” — the character’s signature tune from the Disney movie.
The jaunty melody filled the room, putting an extra hitch in everyone’s step and smiles on their faces.
The song wasn’t the only thing the crowd was smiling about. The tea party was also a celebration of the successful fundraising efforts for the Women’s Fund, which is in its second year.
The Women’s Fund began in July 2007 with a $500 donation. That year, volunteers collected about $6,000. In 2008, fundraisers gathered slightly more than $30,000.
“It’s our fastest growing fundraiser by far,” said Abbie Smith, community development officer for the Tipton County Foundation. “... It was really exciting because we had women working our contacts the last day of the year, Dec. 31.”
The foundation created the endowment to advance women’s causes after a donation from “one good friend,” said Virginia Chambers, chairwoman of the foundation’s board of directors.
“We intend to create a stronger, healthier and more vibrant community where women are empowered to reach their goals,” Chambers said.
As she sipped on the English tea that had just been poured for her, foundation member Vickey McCorkle said she was impressed with the way the Women’s Fund has grown.
“I think [the endowment] is marvelous, and it could lead to more things,” McCorkle said. “I’m not the one who thought up the idea, but I sure am thankful for the women who did.”
This was the second year volunteers from the Women’s Fund organized the tea party.
The event was intended to update supporters on how the program is doing and announce the $1,000 grant the 2008 funds would create.
JoAnn McQuinn, chairwoman of the Women’s Fund committee, said this year’s grant would go toward creating the Tipton County Council on Aging.
The council will create programs to help older women in areas such as law, finances, residential living and nutrition.
Last year, the grant went to the Tipton County Boys and Girls Club, which had the Girls Rock program.
Becca Miller, a seventh grader who participated in Girls Rock, spoke to the audience, about how the program helped her grow as a person and find a possible career path.
After her speech, Miller said Girls Rock taught her a lot about how she should perceive herself.
“You can’t be negative about who you are,” she said. “You have to be positive. You shouldn’t just put yourself down just because you don’t like something about yourself.”
Nancy Nicholson, who sits on the Tipton County Foundation’s board and gave the first $500 to the Women’s Fund, said she was happy the program has been able to raise the amount it has and put it toward programs such as Girls Rock.
“It’s excellent, just absolutely excellent,” Nicholson said. “... What’s phenomenal is the number of ladies who have contributed.”
In 2008, 170 people donated to the Women’s Fund, Smith said. Volunteers have collected about $4,500 so far for 2009, she said.
There is no set goal for this year, Smith said, but the endowment hopes to have at least 100 new people to donate.
• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at (765) 454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.
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Tipton Tea party celebrates fundraising success
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