Oh no, PLEASE don't make rushees sew. Every now and then our chapter or Panhel would have us work on these "learning dolls" for homeless kids. It was a cute project (dolls in different colors with little outfits and buttons and snaps etc.) except that most of the sisters had no clue how to sew. It was funny among sisters, but I can imagine that would really turn a rushee off.

we only did one philanthropy project that I was embarrassed about. We had the girls decorate small flower pots that we filled with candy and put red and buff roses on the top. For one thing, they looked dumb. For another thing, they were *supposed* to go to a retirement home, but our rush chair never got around to it. So when it came time for open recruitment, we just emptied the original pots and had PMN's decorate the leftovers! Not to mention that the already decorated pots in IN PLAIN SIGHT on a shelf in the chapter room.

I don't think anyone noticed, but I was mortified.

Actually, I think it's really funny now, but it wasn't at the time.

Clearly, we need a new philanthropy project this year!

our philanthrophy project was making candy bags for diabetic patients
all they do is open it and put the candy in

does that sound lame?

Candy bags for diabetics? I hope it was sugar-free! :eek:

I'm still a really big fan of the care packages for domestic violence shelters. I have known too many women who had to flee from an abusive partner, only to go to a shelter where they didn't have the basic toiletries. Maybe alternating that with another event the next year as not to overload the shelter would work instead.

Like a lot of people have said, it is hard to do an altruistic project that isn't too depressing or deep in less than an hour.

We made these's flower pen's, which wouldn't have been so bad but we had to come up with a quote.. i couldn't think of an inspirational quote at that time, it was too much pressure!

What about your positive experiences on Philanthropy Day? What do other sororities do?
:)

When I went through, Chi-O did these really cute little canavas bags that we decorated with puffy paint and stencils in blues and silvers (they had this star theme, like "wish upon a star" because their philanthropy is make a wish). They were for the kids to pack toiletries in when they went on their wish. it was easy, fun and seemed pretty functional.

when I rushed I will tell the truth, I did not like our (phi mu's) night.. we colored place mats for the cmn kids... it was really boring.. However, I really loved gamma phis project they made this tent thing for us to sit under and they had the fake fire thing.. and we made s'mores.. and these flower things for the project.. they were my favorite for that round.. plus I LOVE s'mores!

At my school we don't have a philanthropy round and I'm kind of glad we don't! It seems like it would be really hard to come up with stuff for the PNMs to do that wouldn't be too cheesy or weird!

Jess

Cards and bookmarks, while not particularly original, usually work. There is always a group of people who like a cheery card (a senior citizen's home, a children's hospital), and it doesn't take mega-creativity or particular skills to make one.

But of course if every house you visited did that, you'd get sick of them pretty quickly!

Good Idea!!!! I will forward this to my chapter. We made picture frames for the kids to put pictures of their wish in, but the bag idea is good as well.
-Michelle

Acutally, other good ideas I've heard of are a chapter making stress balloons for women with breast cancer to strengthen their muscles. I guess squezing the balloons with sand and flour helps them recover faster. I also like the idea of making little stuffed animals fo rkids in hospitals, the problem is the chapter has to put a lot of prep time into sewing.
-Michelle

ZTA does the 'better bunnies', the squeezy things for breast cancer patients. We use squishy balls instead of sand-filled balloons and give each pnm puffy paint for drawing bunny faces, white balls for the tails, a washrag to fold and wrap around the balls for ears. They tie the washrags with a ribbon and a note of encouragement to the women in the ward, something like "it's not what lies before us or what lies behind us that makes us who we are. It's what lies within us." We deliver the bunnies to the cancer ward at the local hospital for the women who just had masectomies to use to build up their muscles. One of the main reasons I joined ZTA was for our philanthropy and I think the bunnies are always a big hit with pnm's.

Speaking of bunnies, "boo boo bunnies" out of washcloths are another screw-up proof one.

XOMICHELLE,

I'm glad you liked the idea. It's very cute and different from alot of other philanthropy events. They also got a girl whose wish the chapter had personally funded to speak to us about her experience and how much gratitude she felt towards Chi-O. It was pretty moving, and it really showed how truly active they were with their philanthropy. They are great girls...but I LOVE my sisters!!!!

Our chapter did boo-boo animals the year I went through, they were cute and easy. They also doubled as sock puppets which is apropriate because our philanthropy is play therapy.