Alums don't care about favors. But if you want to do cheap and easy: get some flower pots and stencil your sorority onto them with a paint pen. Put some candy inside or potted plants. Bonus-- the pots can serve as centerpieces during the dinner.

As an alum, you know what I would love to take away from an alumnae dinner? A newsletter with stats of what the chapter has been up to, what they need for the house, upcoming events alums can come to, volunteer opps for alums, and contact info for volunteering, sending recs, etc.

adpiucf, that's exactly where I was going- a newsletter! That's one of the things that frustrates me the most about my chapter. Since I graduated, I have not received a single newsletter and the only way I've been able to get information is through younger alumnae who still know people there... but that's now dried up. This is my chapter, I want to know it's in good hands!

I also will second the manners recommendation. You don't need to be stuffy or perfect- just respectful, poised, classy, and thoughtful. Knowing which spoon or fork to use is a bonus. You can still have fun, tell funny stories, and be yourselves.

If I were to have something to take away from the event, I'd choose cookies or something else homemade. I'd rather know that the money went toward a mini-sisterhood event of baking cookies rather than going to the store to pick up m&ms or ordering candles, picture frames, glassware, etc. I want to be reminded of the close sisterhood, not the ability to pick through a catalog.

ETA: Also consider that many alumnae do not live in the area so they will need to pack whatever you get in a suitcase & bring on a plane or long car ride. That varies by chapter, of course- mine has maybe 85-90% live at least 8 hours (and half of those a plane ride) away from our alma mater.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat: "Alumnae don't care about favors" and I too would be upset if my contruibution was earmarked to underwrite tchotchkes.

Something else I would suggest is to make sure you thank anyone who has given of their time, money, energy, advice or "things" to the chapter. It might not seem like a big deal at the time, but it would be nice to know if a gift has been received and being put to good use. :rolleyes:

I just want to add that our 150th was in 2001, and the women in my chapter now are totally on top of things - and up for our Golden Lion award. That's a huge difference. But, I have no idea if they'd whip out favors for a dinner. At the two alumnae events we have each year, they put out bowls of candies or whatever, and we can take some or not. It's much more practical. AND, they write thank you notes, and we get newsletters!

This.

And the thank you notes too.

Honestly, as an alum, I don't really want another trinket. I want my chapter to keep me informed of chapter goings-on. A few recruitment photos, a few articles about what they do during the year, a few profiles on outstanding members. I am very interested, especially since I live many states away and can't witness anything in person.

I haven't received a newsletter in over 10 years and it is missed. Long ago the chapter stopped sending them to alumnae who didn't live in the immedidate area of our college and this makes me (and my pledge-era sisters) very sad.

I know it is hard for the actives to imagine, but the chapter's welfare and sucesses are still very important to us, even long after graduation. It would also be of interest to those who live in your area but who may have attended college elsewhere. Showing the alumnae that they are relevant, and keeping them informed of chapter happenings, has much more value than a party favor.

Good luck with your dinner. Sounds fun.

This reminds me of my favorite quote from my favorite founder, Peter Schermerhorn Johnson:

On a related note, my chapter sends a monthly e-mail newsletter to alumni that briefly outlines what we've done in the past month and what's coming up in the next month that they might want to attend.

love your quote, gusteau!

Here's a thought. I bet you could ask your alumnae for old favors to give to your new members. I bet they'd love to off-load the crap they no longer want but feel too guilty to throw away. And I could imagine it being a great conversation starter.

And yes, I'd be FURIOUS to know my money was used to buy favors.

Better yet...ask your alumnae if they have anything - favors, programs from Greek sings, extra pictures - that they would like to donate for a display to be placed somewhere in the house/suite. You need to follow thru though, you can't say you're going to do it and then just stick everything in a trunk.

A few years back, my biological brother’s chapter hosted a fundraiser barbeque during homecoming. The chapter hired a chapter brother - who was also a professional photographer - to take pictures throughout the evening. Pictures were taken of each pledge class, specific school years and lots of random group shots in and around the chapter house.

During the dinner part, each guest received a framed gift certificate to take home with them. The certificate was good for one free picture taken that evening. The photographer put the proofs up on-line (I guess his own site) and attendees logged in and picked the picture they wanted to order. They could also order as many additional pictures as they wanted too.

The picture/pictures selected were mailed to them with the idea to fame one in the frame they had been given that night. The frame is a rather generic wooden frame. And while not really that expensive, it looks nice.

My bio-brother ended up getting pictures of his pledge class, one of each year he was at school, and a few group shots. My favorite is a picture of him and three of his pledge brothers in an idiotic/goofy pose that mimicked a similar picture taken of the four of them some 40 years earlier. He has that picture next to the original one.

ETA: I forgot to add that the cost to the chapter was the cost of the frames. And I would guess the paper to print the gift certificate. The time and one free picture each was donated by the photographer.

Unless this is a typo, this makes me think you're right much older than I pictured you. :D

But this is a great idea!

No typo. This is one of my older brothers' chapter.