About Us

Founded in 2026, Key to Design: A Tablescape Event is taking the place of the beloved Pilgrimage to continue the legacy of giving back to our community. For decades, our Foundation has been committed to supporting the Houston non-profit community and more recently with a focus on early childhood education and development programs.

Through events like the Kappa Pilgrimage and biannual luncheons, we've been able to contribute over $4.5 million to numerous local charities. Key to Design: A Tablescape Event will continue the tradition of strong giving to our community.

Key to Design: A Tablescape Event is a two-day charity event sponsored by the Kappa Kappa Gamma Charitable Foundation of Houston of Kappa Kappa Gamma. It brings together Houston’s finest designers, florists, and retailers who create imaginative table decorations to help raise funds to benefit a group of non-profit organizations carefully selected each year.

The annual event includes a preview party cocktail reception for guests to mingle and view the beautifully decorated tables. On the following day our featured speaker inspires guests with a presentation at the luncheon and guests enjoy dining at the designers' incredible table creations.

Our event would not be possible without the contribution of the support of the Kappa Houston Alumnae Association, Kappa Dallas Alumnae Association and Fort Worth Alumnae Association, countless volunteers, our patrons, our sponsors and designers.

The History of Key to Design: A Tablescapes Event

Established 2026

Preparation and Planning

In 2025, well into the eighth decade of successful Kappa Pilgrimage Homes Tours, the Houston Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma was ready for a change. The idea was to lean into the success of our sister associations in Dallas and Forth Worth, who had respectfully launched sell-out Tablescape events for years, while honoring the deep rooted traditions and success of the Houston Pilgrimage. Our primary goal was to create a successful fundraiser and friendraiser. A design event that celebrates our creative community, supports local non-profits and Kappa philanthropies, and most importantly honors women within our sisterhood. If well received, Key to Design: A Tablescape event will become the future fundraiser for the Association.

The co-chairs of the Key to Design: A Tablescape Event met with Kappas in Dallas and Fort Worth who generously shared their thoughts and ideas. The possibilities were exciting and they believed an event highlighting the abundance of talent in Houston could be a premier event!

The venue was selected and the outline of the Key to Design: A Tablescapes Event was formulated.

A committee was formed with eager Kappas filling the jobs of arrangements, planning, fundraising, friendraising, invitations, underwriting, reservations and volunteer recruitment. Now that 'The Plan' and Committee were in place, table decorators had to be enlisted! A list of dream team designers was made to reflect a variety of artistic individuals and businesses of the Houston community.

Of course, many of our own talented Kappas were at the top of the list. Extraordinary floral designers were invited to participate along with famed interior designers, clothing designers, boutique shops, and party planners. Everyone was excited for the opportunity to showcase their skills, talents and wares. Each would design a round table seating ten guests. Designers were encouraged to let their creativity run wild and decorate in whatever theme they desired using place settings, centerpieces, and florals.

While the decorators dreamed and schemed, tables and corporate sponsorships were drafted, inviting donors to purchase tables and tickets for seating at each of the 50 tables.

Founded on our History of Giving

The Houston Kappa Christmas Pilgrimage began in 1941 when Dorris Cecil, inspired by a Dallas Garden Club event, proposed decorating Kappa homes for Christmas and selling tickets to the public. The first year featured three homes, each with a unique theme, decorated entirely with handmade ornaments crafted from materials members had at home. That inaugural event sold tickets for $1.00 and raised between $300 and $500. After pausing during World War II, the Pilgrimage resumed in 1946 and became a cherished biennial tradition that would grow into one of Houston's premier social events of the year.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Pilgrimage's reputation soared beyond Houston. House Beautiful featured photographs in 1951, and Better Homes and Gardens published images in their 1955 Christmas Ideas Book. At the 1956 National Convention, Houston alumnae proudly presented a workshop showcasing their innovative project. What began as a simple fundraiser evolved into an elegant showcase of artistic creativity, with visitors coming not only to see friends but to share in the warmth of the season and gather inspiration for their own holiday celebrations. The addition of handmade items for sale, particularly the famous needlepoint ornaments created by the Stitchers group in the 1970s, transformed the event into a sought-after shopping destination.

By 1978, the Pilgrimage had grown from a modest $300 fundraiser to an impressive community fundraiser supporting many local charities. More importantly, it became a vehicle for spreading goodwill throughout the Houston community while carefully funding rehabilitation and philanthropic programs. The project united the entire membership in fellowship and purpose, creating lasting bonds among members while earning respect throughout Houston for their dedication to charitable causes and their celebration of the Christmas season.

In 2024, the pilgrimage celebrated its final tour. We are so proud of the many volunteers and leadership involved to make this nearly 85 tradition a huge success.

Past Kappa Pilgrimage Chairs

Through the years, we have been fortunate to have had some of the most talented leaders embody the history and tradition of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Pilgrimage Home Tour. They have enchanted us with their wisdom, shared tips, and entertained us with stories. Putting their critical mark in the chapter books of the Houston Kappa alumnae association. We thank each of these women who paved the way for Key to Design: A Tablescape event, you are true blue Kappa legacies.

1941
Marjorie Peebles

1948
Jane Waddill

1950
Betty Brady

1952
Myrtle Roever
Jane Waddill

1954
Gay Maxwell

1956
Diane Fennekohl

1958
Marjorie Werlein

1960
Elizabeth Waterman

1962
Jane Bickel

1964
Emmajean Schreiber

1966
Sarah Bergner
Myrtle Roever

1968
Mildred Grinstead

1970
Ginger Gullette

1972
Hetta Heath

1974
Karen Tellepsen

1976
Penny Butler

1978
Patsy Burrow
Louise Ratz

1980
Barbara Bross
Nancy Moncrief

1982
Muffin Clark
Cinda Matthews

1984
Acia Cagle
Sabra Steed

1986
Johnette Dodson
M.A. Dunscombe

1988
Ann McDaniel
Maggi Reese Suttles

1990
Jana Arnoldy
Catherine Carrigan

1992
Cindy Blades
Franny Gray

1994
Nancy Gordon
Stephanie Smith

1996
Jennie Hull
Cecille Shannon

1998
Carole Monday
Debra Wolcott

2000
Linda Hunsaker
Lynn Swanson

2002
Beverly Shaeffer
Lynn West

2004
Laura Beavers
Julia DeWalch
Marilyn Gregg
Andrea Soper
Martha Thorsell

2006
Nancy Ellison
Laurie Vander Ploeg

2008
Shannon Kroger
Therese Moore
Laurie Tyler

2010
Stuart Hudson
Ruthee Meric
Mary Peterson

2012
Katie Thompson
Cynthia Urquhart

2014
Kim Hillin
Kim Martin

2016
Andria Frankfort
Bridget Wade

2018
Cathy Frank
Amber Gray
Lynne Johnson
Claudia Laswell

2022
Jeannie Chandler
Julie Comiskey