I think a reason why some say "I was an ABC" is because of minimal exposure to alumnae/i during their collegiate days. If a chapter doesn't have alot of advisors that are truly involved as advisors (rather than in title only) and/or alumnae/i who visit the chapter, come to events, etc. then how can a collegian understand that you are an ABC for life?

I love being invited back by my chapter to tell the story of why our chapter was founded (I'm a charter member) or share how a current tradition was originally started. We keep growing advisors out of the graduating seniors and it's because the current advisors work with the chapter so well and the collegians can see a way to impact the future of the chapter or another chapter after college! The advisors even hold BBQ's for the chapter to celebrate a special moment in the chapter (like taking quota, welcome back to school, etc).

Sigmadahlin' and meridionaleDG, if ever there was a single set of two posts on this board that made me want to be greek, & realise that if it never becomes a fulfilled dream I'll miss out on so so much; it was those two posts. Truly inspirational.

sort of funny. i was even thinking about this last night when i couldn't sleep. i started thinking about all of the sisters i was going to have at my wedding. not like i'm engaged right now, but probably soon. and the coolest thing is i know that just b/c i haven't talked to them in a couple of years, doesn't mean they won't come to my wedding. i have every intention of having a sisterhood circle and sing one of our songs. i will have my little on one side and my grand big on the other. and my sisterhood circle will consist of not only my alpha iota chapter sisters, but also alumnae chapter sisters. made me teary thinking about it.

shelley j
sigma k

Here's a good story, and true:

At my chapter, when I had just joined, we found out a 90+ year old man was living nearby in a retirement home, who was a LXA from a chapter back east somewhere, but, he wanted to meet us.

We arranged for about 10 of us (not to overwhelm him) and go visit him one afternoon at the retirement home. He shared his stories of his time in college, and how he had even met Jack Mason (for LXA, the author of our Ritual, sort of a second "founder" of the fraternity).

A few weeks later, we received a most amazing gift. He created a cross-stitch composing of our chapter letters, and inside the letters, the initials of ALL the active members at the time, and LXA's surrounding the corners, and "1974-1984" ten year anniversary of our chapter.

He passed away a year later - I'm so sorry, even to this day, that I can't remember his name. I still have that cross-stitch, since the chapter was closed for 11 years, I held onto it in hopes we would eventually recolonize, which happened in 2000.

Now, I'm just waiting for the chartering. At which, I will present TWO cross-stitches - the original one, and the one I will complete soon, this time with the initials of the new founding fathers. I hope the brothers appreciate this lesson in legacy.

I LOVED this story!!! :D

LXAALUM, what a Great Story! Reminds me of the Time we Had with Mrs. L as I always called her. Albert Her Husband was an Honory Initiate for LXA! You may remember in the Cross and Cresent!

It is storys like this that make me Proud to be a LXA and a Member of a Greek Organization. Not only mine but of all of us who are!!

This is what being a Greek Member is really all about!:)

Yeah, Tom, I do remember that C&C article. It was very nice to see her getting such a nice write-up.

That's a proud legacy as well...

About four years ago I embarked on a project to interview members of our chapter from their days as a local. The founders had all passed away, but I was able to interview a brother from the class of 1932 who had known some of them from his early years at Ball State. I went to his home down in Bloomington, and videotaped the interview. It was obvious that the fraternity had made a profound impression on his life, but he said that he lost touch with all of the brothers as a result of the hard times from the depression, and then service during the war. After the interview (a very interesting one), I thanked him for his time and he said to me "I had two daughters, and no son to join the fraternity, and my grandsons went to other schools and joined other fraternities, so I would like to give you some things from my days in the chapter." I proudly received his pin (which I had never seen the local one before), a paddle with our chapter and his wife's local on the other side that he made when they were dating, and a pair of cast lead (very very heavy) bookends in the shape of the local crest that he made in an industrial education class.

He was so happy to leave these items to someone who would hold them with the same value he did. I was nearly in tears. Despite that nearly 60 year difference in our ages, we shared that bond and I could relate to his experiences like he could to mine.

He even sent the chapter a $50 donation after that.

:)

It almost made me cry, too! That's very sweet :)

During my i-week, one of my pledge brothers was walking towards the house and saw a 90-yr old man there...walked up to him and he said that he was an alumni, then started asking 'are you a brother? A-E-K...' when my pledge brother interrupted and said not yet but I hope I can say that next week.

we have alumni popping by all the time, and young alumni stay involved with the chapter a lot.

BSUPhiSig,
that was the best story. i should do something like that with sisters from the alpha class of my chapter. i know one woman who lives right here in my hometown.

shelley j
sigma k

That's is the most wonderful story! And you've inspired me. I've been thinking about our local and how we know next to nothing about it. Granted, most of the founders have passed away, but I've always wanted to get more information about the beginning of our chapter. Now, I'm on a mission!

Sometimes, the roots of Where We cam from, whether it be Blood Family or Greek Family should never be forgotten. They are the most important. Where did I come from and for what reason!

If not for the Fore Fathers/Mothers, you may never have known what it is , why you are what you are and why you feel today about your Organization and the Brothers/Sisters who are with you today!:)

how'd you find out where he was? I'd love to figure out if we had any Phi Mus at any local nursing homes.

We were volunteering for the Walk for Hunger one year, and a guy in his 70s yelled "AEKDB" to all of us - pretty cool, I've had it happen a few times with guys that age.

As I said before, some people just associate their Greek experience with college, and therefore use the word "was." Doesn't make them any less proud of joining, it's just the way they remember it/continue to remember it.