Submitted by Ashley Stier
Greensburg Tri Kappa is preparing for the 105th annual Tri Kappa 4th of July parade which will take place Friday, July 4th. The route will be different this year due to road construction. This is temporary and it will go back to the familiar route next year. It will start at Porter Oliger Pearson Funeral Home, it will go north on Franklin then turn west on Walnut, then south onto Broadway, and it will end at the Gilliland Howe Funeral Home. Report to Porter-Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home at 9:15am for line-up instructions. Tri Kappa members will be along the line-up route and stationed at the Porter-Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home to assist participants with finding their designated location. No registration is needed, just show up. The parade will start at 10am.
Greensburg’s July 4th parade is all about the children in the community as they are the star parade participants. The tradition of the 4th of July parade in downtown Greensburg was started in 1919 by Mrs. Guy Guthrie to give the children in her neighborhood something to do and keep them out of mischief. The event was continued by Mrs. Guthrie’s Tri Kappa Sorority after her passing in 1942. We ask that the kids carry on the tradition by participating in the parade rather than sit on the sidelines. This is the reason we do not allow candy to be thrown at this parade. We encourage kids of all ages to decorate and ride their bikes, trikes, scooters, roller skates, wagons, power wheels, or walk your pets and be a part of the fun. We want to see families, sports teams, church groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, bands, cheerleaders, dancers, gymnasts, and more. Let us celebrate our kiddos and have fun!
Tri Kappa chooses a Grand Marshall to lead our parade each year that we feel represents what we promote: Charity, Culture, and Education. The Grand Marshall is to be an extraordinary child or children, a role model to our children, or someone who serves children. This year we nailed it with The World Helping Squad leading our parade as our Grand Marshalls.
The World Helping Squad was founded in 2021 by a couple of 7-year-old friends, Cressa Kohrman, daughter of Laura and Travis Kohrman, and Malarie Schoettmer, daughter of Kristin and Scott Schoettmer. The World Helping Squad is an organization that is dedicated to finding ways to help others. Their Mission Statement reads: Help People to Help the World. Tri Kappa discovered The World Helping Squad while seeing them highlighted on “The 812”, local digital news, for winning the Indiana Youth Power and Hope Award through REMC. The pair wrote essays and were 2 out of 5 children selected throughout the entire state to win the award.
The girls became friends at the age of 4 when they were in the same dance class at Gold Star Dance Academy. They also both attend the same church, Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. The girls’ friendship developed as they realized they had similar interests and a passion to help others. This passion led to the start of The World Helping Squad.
The girls are now 11 years old and will be 6th graders in the coming school year. Cressa attends North Decatur Elementary School and Malarie is homeschooled through Seton Home Study. The World Helping Squad has been thriving for 4 years with additional members that have joined along the way: Clair Johannigman, Weston Kohrman, Kyron Schoettmer, Mia Sly, Sophia Sly, and Grace Whorrall.
The World Helping Squad has raised money by speaking in front of their church and then collecting money from those that choose to support their cause, through bake sale earnings, and by various other fundraisers. They also organize various drives to collect needed items. These tactics have proven to be successful as over the last four years the World Helping Squad has collected and distributed more than ten thousand dollars to support worthy causes. The group gets together regularly to decide their focus. They often get inspired by seeing signs out in the community advertising needs. Malarie’s mom, Kristin, mentioned an instance of the girls’ noticing posters in Rural King that sparked interest in supporting various causes. Malarie is responsible for keeping members updated on their mission by sending monthly letters by mail. The group advertises their assistance by hanging up posters and giving out “badges” that Cressa helps make to organizations and people that they have supported.
In their first year of service, The World Helping Squad used their profits to donate toys to Riley Toy Closet that they chose from their “wish list.” They also donated food, toys, and basic needs to a local animal shelter. Blankets, hand warmers, hats, and other items were donated to the Shelby County Fire Department and Police Department to distribute to those that are going through hard times. The Disabled American Veterans received blankets, handwarmers, and hats as well. Clarity was the recipient of diapers, toys, and other basic needs. They visited the Salvation Army “Angel Tree” and took all the tags left on the tree to fulfill Christmas wishes.
The following year The World Helping Squad continued to have success. Shelby County Cancer Association was given money through bake sale earnings. The Squad also provided a revered local basketball coach and teacher that was facing a diagnosis of cancer meals and money to assist with Christmas for their family and treatment costs.
In the third year of service, The World Helping Squad organized a Barn Dance/Harvest Celebration. The funds they raised from this event were given to Firefly Children and Family Home Alliance with a focus on helping support children in foster care. Next, they purchased materials for an art teacher who was in need of supplies for her students. Finally, they used the funds raised to assist a family that was grieving the loss of a loved one.
This past year they ramped up their bake sales. They were able to donate to the Bo Paul Project, which is an organization out of Oldenburg that focuses on premature babies and families of babies that are stillborn. The Bo Paul Project provides basinets, weighted comfort bears that match the weight of the stillborn baby, and photography work to provide memories for those facing the loss of their stillborn baby. The Squad also donated to a project to help remodel the bedroom of a friend with bone cancer, which was completed before the friend returned home from the hospital. In addition they partnered with the North Decatur Elementary School PTO to spread kindness at their recent Color the World with Kindness event with proceeds benefiting organizations locally and globally.
Aside from their duties with The World Helping Squad, the founders, Cressa and Malarie, stay active. Both enjoy dancing and being dance teaching assistants. Cressa is a member of the National Elementary Honor Society, Battle of the Books, and assists at school in the library. Malarie can be found serving at her church, volunteering at the SVdP thrift store, and being an active participant in 4-H.The World Helping Squad serves as an inspiration to all our local youth that they too can make a difference. If others want to be apart of The World Helping Squad, the girls stated that “all they have to do is ask.” Come see The World Helping Squad as they lead our 105th Annual Fourth of July Parade.
