The San Fernando Valley Alumnae day group had its beginning toward the end of the second World War when it was felt necessary, because of gas rationing and black-out alerts, to travel as little as possible and stay closer to home territory.  Prior to that time, the central Los Angeles Alliance drew from all the outlying areas, including the San Fernando Valley.

 

Dorothy Johnson Smith (then Titus) of UCLA, former president of the Los Angeles group, invited all available Tri Deltas in the Valley to her home for a Saturday afternoon tea and the group was organized as a local club at that time.  Dorothy shaired the group until it was officially organized as a national alumnae club in 1950, with Mildred Hirsig Perrodin (Wisconsin & Wyoming) as president.

 

Meetings were held every month, except July and August, in the homes of different members for a bring-your-own-sandwich luncheon.  Over the years the luncheons would evolve to include a salad luncheon, which the hostess and co-hostess would take care of. 

 

The alumnae group would regularly send delegates to conventions and district meets, and had participated in the National Philanthropy as well as local Children's Hospital.  The alumnae group would also support the Valley Panhellenic and make an annual contribution to the local Beta Beta Chapter at California State University, Northridge.  Paid members would regularly number 29 or 30 members, and average attendance at meetings was typically between 16 - 20.

 

 

 

Over the years, the interest in alumnae membership continued, however subsequent generations developed other interests in the activities sponsored by the alumnae day group.  A second San Fernando Valley alumnae group was eventually formed in 1964, called the West San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter.  The West San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter consisted of younger alumnae members and typically met in the evenings.  The chapter supported the same fundamentals as the original day group by contributing to the local Beta Beta chapter, National Philanthropy and Childrens' Hospital.  However, the activities were distinctly different from the day group.

 

After the Northridge Earthquake of 1994, the West San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter lost many members, who in time began to relocate out of the general area of the San Fernando Valley.  Many who left, relocated north to the newly developing Santa Clarita area.  Many of these members came together and eventually started the Santa Clarita Alumnae Chapter.  The West San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter quickly dwindled in numbers and could no longer sustain an active membership.  Within a few short years, the chapter eventually closed with few members remaining.

 

 

 

After the closing of the West San Fernando chapter, the remaining members began to intermingle with the members of the original San Fernando Valley day group.  Then in 2001, the two groups formally merged and was installed as the new San Fernando Valley Alumnae Chapter.  The members of the day group have loyally continued the monthly luncheon tradition, started over 50 years ago.  However, to meet the needs and interests of the various generations, the overall group has now offered a more versatile calendar of events, which is continually bringing together sisters from every generation.