The Hill Country Alumnae Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta began in 1975 when four Kerrville Thetas needed a fifth to make a club, so they recruited Fredericksburg resident Barbara Heinen.It was a slow start, Heinen recalled in a 2023 interview, and they had to round up more Thetas to make the club work. They held meetings and did projects together such as hand-painting canvas tote bags for the children of Court Appointed Special Advocates who were in protective custody. CASA is Theta’s national philanthropy of choice.Heinen said she was the only member from Fredericksburg until Susie Thompson joined in 1996. The other founding members, all from Kerrville, were Elaine Terrell, Fran Cox, Margaret Mitchell and Anne Turner.Heinen said 95% of the gatherings were purely social events. She submitted articles to the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post about the gatherings, and that served as the main avenue for recruiting new members. “I just think the same type of people pledge. The friendships are special, and what Theta does outside the sorority is special: the philanthropy and their service work. It’s not the sorority of the past where they didn’t do those types of things,” Heinen said.In the early days, club members held semi-annual parties that included spouses such as a gathering at Riverhill Country Club at Christmastime and a Summer Picnic. The men became friends and looked forward to the next gathering as much as the ladies did, Heinen said.In April of 1980, the Hill Country club was installed as the 34th alumnae club in Texas as part of District XII.The club gradually included more women in outlying communities – Boerne, Comfort, Hunt and Ingram. By 2001, the membership list had grown to 32 women from 11 universities. In 2024, the roster includes 162 members in the area (not all are dues paying) from 41 different universities.The # 1 function every year is Founders’ Day because it commemorates the four women who founded the sorority in 1870. Kappa Alpha Theta is the first Greek-letter fraternity for women. Our founders helped lead the way for women’s groups and for women in higher education.Twice a year -- at “Back to School” and Christmas -- club members donate gift cards to the Kerrville chapter of CASA.“In 2023, we donated $1,700 in gift cards,” current President Deb Hofmann said proudly. Asked what she values about the group after so many years of service and involvement, Heinen said she enjoys the friendships she has made as well as meeting new Thetas. She feels that Theta sisters have the same qualities and the same values.“Finding more members will continue to keep our Theta chapter growing,” she said.Hofmann said she most enjoys "meeting new people and new sisters, learning about them and what they do and what their history is."As is evidenced annually when we gather for Founders’ Day, Heinen said it’s “nice to get new blood and the younger generation involved.”So many Hill Country Thetas say they are grateful for this group that continues to bring us together, though we are no longer in college.“The connections we make through this sorority continue to be important in every stage of life,” said club member Annie Blakely. “It is a blessing to be a Theta.”