Pi Chi Omega Hosts Two Mixers at Purdue, GPCA Conferences

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., and ATHENS, Ga. — Pi Chi Omega, the professional fraternity for the structural pest control industry, kicked off 2025 by hosting two events on Jan. 14, in Athens, Ga,, and West Lafayette, Ind.

The Purdue Pest Management Conference has long been a cornerstone for the fraternities winter meetings, as the organization was founded there in 1950. This year, they expanded reach by partnering with the GPCA Winter Conference in Georgia, reflecting commitments to "meet our members where they are."

By hosting the Winter Membership Meeting and a Raise the Bar Social alongside GPCA, Pi Chi Omega engaged with southern-based members and introduced many new pest management professionals (PMPs) to Pi Chi Omega.

"We enjoyed hosting an exhibit table that focused on how common pests in Georgia overwinter," said Pi Chi Omega President Andrea Coron. "Because we like to play, we created a game out of the learning lesson – BUG PONG! Attendees who played our game had to match the ping pong ball for each specimen with the overwintering stage’s red solo cup!"

Meanwhile, at Purdue, the fraternity hosted another Raise the Bar Social during their pest management conference.

Both events featured a spirited 50/50 raffle fundraiser to support Pi Chi Omega initiatives, including academic scholarships and industry grants. The GPCA team raised $1,140, while Purdue collected $940. In a generous twist, Purdue's raffle winner donated $180 back to the cause, tipping their total to $650, just ahead of GPCA’s $570.

The GPCA sponsors were Envu, Sprague, JT Eaton & RJM Contracting, and Dale Baker, Tom Mueller, and JT Eaton provided their efforts in making the Purdue event a success.