Delta Delta Delta - University of Kansas

THETA OMEGA page 3 PICKLEBALL PIONEER CHLOE WARNER CHILDERS '49 CONTINUES COACHING Kelly Ragan, Greely Tribune C hloe Warner Childers '49 would give anything to play pickleball again. She dearly loves the last medal she won at the Huntsman World Senior Games when she was in her early 80s—it's the last time she was really able to play. At 86, Chloe can't play anymore, but she can't give it up. She helped bring pickleball to Greeley, Colorado, more than a decade ago, and she plans to help others learn how to play as long as she can. Chloe coaches a ladies-only beginners group at the Greeley Senior Activity Center every Friday. She will stand up to show the ladies the strokes and then sit back down in her chair. She'll watch them and correct what she sees, and always offers a tip of the day. "I do more praising," Chloe said. "I think that's the best way to teach." Chloe, her late husband, Chuck, and two of their friends decided to start pickleball in Greeley, Colorado. At the time, none of them knew how to play, and there were no instructors to teach them. But she did have a background to help her. Chloe spent many years teaching physical education. She taught for a while in Canada when her husband was stationed there in the Air Force, and later at Eaton High School and Greeley Central. She played all kinds of sports, from tennis to softball to hockey. They got a few books and learned the rules together. They took measurements of the courts at the Greeley rec center and taped off the boundaries each time they wanted to play. Many of the pickleball players at the senior center used to be tennis players. Pickleball is easier on the shoulders and folks don't have to move around quite as much, so the transition often feels natural. It's easy for beginners to pick it up, too. Together, they practiced their strokes and got better. Then she got a lot better: Chloe won dozens of medals at pickleball tournaments. "Of all the sports I've played, pickleball is the most fun of all of them," Chloe said. Recently, the rec center painted pickleball lines on the court. They're permanent, a testament to how popular the sport has become. Christy, Chloe's daughter, said she remembered when her mom was asked to coach while they were on a cruise. The activity director didn't know how to play, so they put her in charge. She was a natural. "It's got to be hard for her not to play anymore," Christy said, "but she has such love for teaching." She knows her mom won't give it up, even if it's hard. Chloe has pickle socks, pickle shirts, and a pickle ornament to hang on a tree during the holidays. She also has a pickleball paddle necklace. Ironically, Chloe doesn't actually like pickles, but that makes it all the more fun. "Having fun is so important for your life. You've got to stay bubbly to reach 86 years of age. Sports keep you bubbly." THANK YOU, GENEROUS ALUMNAE The Pearl Circle ($5,000 and above) Martha Noland Katz '68 Linda Folkers Faucett '78 Jennifer Lewan '99 The Pansy Association ($1,000 to $4,999) Beth Greathouse Tedrow '58 Marilyn Mueller Brooks '60 Andrea Sogas Donahue '67 Jean Pinne Anderson '93 The Pine Club ($500 to $999) Kala Musick '63 Jane Helling Grutzmacher '72 The Trident Society ($100 to $499) Grace Endacott Brooks '50 Carol Rowe Park '60 Martha Ryan '61 Linda Ewing Lungstrum '66 Katie Myer Lukens '75 Kim Bontrager O'Neill '75 Anita Schirmer Owings '76 Mary Cooper '78 Cynthia Wehrwein Snyder '83 Amie Kruse Long '95 Carrie Pohl '99 Theta Omega Chapter (Up to $99) Linda Olson Morgandale '68 Mary Shramek Altenbernd '69 Judy Williams Bennett '69 Judy Rosen Johnson '69 Margaret Shramek Robinett '69 Cheri Harris Hamilton '70 Maureen Zahradnik Ingalls '70 Patti Beeler Mann '70 Sheryl Brown Shockey '70 Marcia Orlowski Wenski '70 Renee Warning Grojean '71 Catherine Weinand Kriegshauser '71 Jacqueline Anderson Willis '72 Lindsey Buck '08 T hank you to the following sisters for expressing your loyalty to Tri Delta by donating more than $4,000 in spring 2017 to Theta Omega. Your continued support shows the strength of our alumnae and friends of our sorority. Your gifts allow us to ensure 1630 Oxford is home to future generations of Tri Deltas. Each donor to the spring 2017 appeal is listed by initiation year under her lifetime giving level. If an error has been made in recording your gift, or your name has mistakenly been omitted or listen improperly, we sincerely apologize. Please let us know by sending corrections to Pat Domann '73 at domann@saint-johns.net. We thank you for your support!

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