I am so excited to go to convention--- I just told my husband the other day--- NO exceptions, I will be there.
I cannot wait to meet everyone!!

I am sorry for crashing your boards, but I had to share how jealous I am reading about your 2004 Convention. Convention is so much fun. I hope you are all able to go and have a blast!!!

Go Syracuse Triad!

You are welcome here anytime! :) I was actually considering taking a side trip before or after Convention to visit Alpha Phi's and Sigma Alpha Epsilon's Headquarters since they are so nearby. Would I be welcome if I just dropped in, or should I call to make an appointment for a tour?

AG-Alum!
My hubby is sitting behind me at his pc while I sit here at mine!
I read your comments to your hubby, lol! He already knows that my AGD credit card will be used for convention!

It is probably a good idea to call and make an appointment. That way you know that there won't be a meeting in Heritage Hall (where our antique badges and memorabilia are stored). They never mind when people just drop-in but if a whole lot of people decide to drop-in at one time it can get a little crazy.

Since they are both close by you may want to talk to your development person in charge of convention about putting together groups to go together to tour both offices. It would be a fun little side trip.

Does anyone know when info about Convention may be going up on the website?

My guess would be within the next few months. The next issue of the Quarterly is going to feature all of the Convention information, so I imagine it would be posted on the web soon after. :)

Can I just tell you all how much I can't wait for Convention?????:D :D :D :D :D :D

Bumping to the top! :D

What are you most looking forward to at Convention 2004?
 

I was just talking about Convention with my sister-daughter over the weekend, and she said one of the things she's the most excited about for next year is not being the only one to light her candle when they announce Zeta Theta at roll call like she was at the last Convention. :)


The thing I'm most excited about at Convention is meeting all of the GC Alpha Gams and initiation. :)

My favorites are Initiation and the Honors of Epsilon Pi. Oh, and the Living Circle is great too. The Foundation dinner is always the most fun and oh gosh.. every single minute is awesome!!! I love Convention!

Dee

This will be my first Convention to attend!! I am sooo excited. I am already planning that week off!:D

I hope it isn't over $1000 but if it is I guess that will be my only vacation of the year :) I am still up for rooming with any GC AGD's- although I know my big sis will be there! She is our chapter advisor! :) And my sister Mother will be there too! I am so excited!

I can't wait to see everything! I want to meet my sisters from everywhere, and see what it is like everywhere else for AGDs! I just know about my sisterhood and chapter experiences, I want to hear others, but I can't wait for initiation, that much I can say. I love it, and I can't wait to hear those words again- I almost know it by heart!

Ever witnessed an Initiation with 600+ of your sisters? It's unreal. It's a sea of white and you'll have goosebumps for days!

The Honors of Epsilon Pi is another emotional one. You see grown women moved to tears in nano-seconds!

Feast of Roses is also one of my favorites. Especially when they do Chapter Roll!

Who gets initiated at Convention? Do they just choose a chapter?

People from Chicago could you fill me in on some great resturants and things that are must sees. I think I am gonna visit early...any Guest rooms available in the area...:D ;)

response from Ask the President
 

The same questions are being asked in this thread and the summer Quarterly thread so I put this here. As Susan had suggested, I emailed "Ask the President" to find out more about Convention. Here is Suzanne's response:

"Thank you for sending a question to "Ask the President" and I hope the response will adequately explain the situation.

There will be the formal "Call to Convention" in the fall issue of the Quarterly where members may request registration information and simultaneously there will be a place on the website to also make the request for information. If our website reconstruction has moved along to where we hope it is by the time this information goes out, then we will be able to post more details on the Member Services side.

The costs are being finalized now. I am waiting on one more item from the hotel before we can finalize the figures [trying to make it as good for our sisters as possible] so that this is ready when the publicity goes out. One other thing we hope to do is offer an "early bird" registration so that if members pay their registration/hotel package in by a specified date they will benefit from a small savings. I think that will appeal to many.

It is a good thing I recommended that everyone save a dollar a day from Convention 2001 forward. It will not be quite that much for the Convention package, but then they have travel money or a little spending money to get Alpha Gam goodies.

Let me know if something needs further clarification. I am looking forward to seeing you and so many other sisters in Michigan in a few weeks.

Loyally,

Suzanne"

Of course I might be mistaken, but I think it's alumnae initiates. The last Convention included a woman who pledged AGD decades ago but never initiated. The woman who was her sister-mom stood by her as she went through the ceremony. In addition to her, there was a mother who also got initiated. She has two AGD daughters, and they both served as her "sister-moms". Cute, huh?

They initiate Alumna Initiates at Convention rather than New Members from any given chapter.

I'm from Detroit but have been to Chicago many times. Some of the fun things to do are going to Navy Pier which has shops, foods, a big ferris wheel and other entertainment. There is a strip of Michigan Avenue (which is where the hotel is!) called the Magnificent Mile and it includes numerous shopping centers (including The Water Tower, one of the best!), FAO Schwartz, Niemann Marcus (sp?), etc. You can go up to the top of the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the US, for a spectacular view. You can also go to the top of the John Hancock building which is a few stories shorter but closer to the Magnificent Mile. The Chicago Art Institute is absolutely wonderful as are the Field Museum and Shedd's Aquarium. There are so many great restaurants it's hard to pick! There is a Hard Rock, a restaurant owned by Michael Jordan, Ed Debevicks (sp?)(where the waiters are intentionally mean and rude.. and so are the customers, so don't wear your letters there!), AND you have to sample some Chicago style pizza at Gino's East or UNO's.. it's really awesome pizza!

Hope that helps a bit!

Dee

One of the alumnae initiates in Atlanta was the daughter of an Atlanta AGD. She didn't have AGD at her college so was able to become an AI.

I wanted to see Initiation to see if we were pronouncing the words correctly, lol. I agree that it is always very special, no matter the event to see sisters of different ages all singing, clapping and having the same fun! Shows what sisterhood is really all about!

I haven't started on my $1 a day, lol, but I'm going to start making up for it real soon. I may be able to squeeze in a day or so before/after the convention. Wonder if we could get the same room rates at the Convention Hotel or have to check into Rent-A-Dump for a couple of days;) :p

In Atlanta we were able to get extra days at a reduced rate. It will just depend on the deal they get with the hotel. It sounded like they're trying to keep it affordable! The favors are always so wonderful, I'll be they're going to be extra special today. I was talking to a Beta Theta Pi at work today, telling him how excited I was about our Centennial Convention and he said they don't get any favors! One more reason to be glad I'm an Alpha Gam!

Dee

Dee, thank you so much for looking into that! :)

*bump*

Convention is inching ever closer...make sure you send in your registration forms from the Quarterly! :)

Just made this thread sticky because I want all sisters who find their way to GC to know what's going on! Less than a year left, girls!

I'm glad there is finally some info about Convention in the Quarterly. I need to send for a packet! :)

hey i can't find my quarterly - does anybody know the address to send for packets????

marissa

You can email IHQ at info@alphagammadelta.org and provide them with your Name, Mailing Address, Collegiate Chapter and Year of Initiation!

For those of impatient folks....

The registration packet is on the website.

Download it by clicking here.

If you are sharing a room it is $895. And for a single it is $400 more.

I hope my tax return is big. :D

YEAH! I'm so excited! The money that I receive back in 3 weeks from my benefits account will cover my registration fee almost to the penny! Once I get my airfare, I'm in the clear. :D

Now I just have to figure out if hubby will want to come along, or if I need to find a roommate. Any volunteers, lol? ;)

Me!
 

Did ya notice that you could park 1.5 days for the same amount you could fly? :)

I had "heard" the cost might be about $1200 registration so this is terrific.

Can anyone from IHQ tell us if/when the chapters will get the info?

I sent an email to my team so they could spread the word. The Gamma Taus (collegians) all want to go, but they will have to have a HUGGGGGEEEE FASTTTTT fundraiser;)

Hubby would prob love to go but I definitely wouldn't have time to spend with him, lol. After all, I see him almost every day now, lol but I can see some sisters once every 4 years or may be never again.

Re: Me!
 

After hearing about the costs of the LAST convention, Delta Sigma knew that they had to start the fundraising AT LEAST two years before. Since then they've been washing cars, selling benefit chili and chicken, and stuffing an ookamilliongazillion amounts of envelopes (just to name a few). They're looking to send a record amount of collegians next year. In Atlanta there were FIVE of us!

Sandy, yea, I know ;) Something tells me most won't go:(
Oh well, maybe they can go to the 101st:D

Re: Me!
 

ETA: Nevermind:) I got 2 packets in the mail. One for the Chapter and one for me.
Looks awesome!

Slow Internet v Snail Mail
 

All day I have been trying to get the convention link to work and then finally I ventured out into the snow to get the mail and there was my packet.... yeah!!!

So I need advise... I have never been before and yes it would be nice to stay at the hotel but the price is too high, has anyone gone before and not stayed at the hotel? What was it like? Did you feel excluded or anything? Or was it just inconventant to have to leave the hotel all the time?

Also what about dress, I know dinners are nice but how are they evening gown formal? And spending allowances, how much are we thinking?

As to the hotel, can they price the hotel at more than a double occupancy, thinking that this would lower the cost...

As for clothing...
You see all sorts of clothing options.I have seen dressy pant suits to formal long dresses and chic cocktail dresses. For the Honors of Epsilon Pi banquet collegians wear white while alums wear pastels to white. No bare shoulders or backs for this night.

Daytime clothing is usually business casual-no jeans.
Marie

Ditto on the daytime clothing. One of the biggest misconceptions my chapter girls had when we went to convention last time was that everyone was going to wear POWER SUITS. Um, so not the case. I don't know why we thought that.

Already found my Initiation/Honors of Epsilon Pi dress. The
Hawaii girls already have it made because white mu`umu`u always looks great!

RIE!!! I wonder if we'll be on the same flight again! LOL :D

The Foundation dinner will have a costume theme, a parade of costumes and usually a contest for best costumes. Feast of Roses is formal.. cocktail dresses are appropriate that night. You will get a more complete Convention packet with a full schedule after you register. They include information about "What to Wear".

I do think you'd miss out a little if you didn't stay in the hotel. We are "programmed" pretty much from 8:00 or 8:30 am until 10:00 or 10:30 pm with breaks long enough to dress for dinner, etc. You may feel rushed for time if you have to leave the hotel, get back to yours, get dressed and head back again.

Take note too.. Early Bird Registration saves you $50!

Many of the Michigan Alpha Gams are thinking about taking the Amtrak train. 4 hour train ride versus driving plus parking expenses versus dealing with airport. The train takes you to downtown and it's easy to catch a cab to the hotel from there! Plus you can sleep on the way back (you'll be tired!). Can you imagine a whole train car of Alpha Gams???

Dee

Dee thanks for all the help. I would love to stay at the hotel but I think that the cost will be prohibitive, maybe that is something that I will try to work up to.

I was thinking about just bring the "things" needed for the day to the hotel and just finding a sister that would allow a place to dress in, instead of running back and forth. $500 dollars v $900 dollars is a big deal right now, plus travel and extras.

If you have gone to convention and stayed at a different hotel please post your story, thanks!

Re: Slow Internet v Snail Mail
 

My group was wondering the same thing...we have at least 6 going, and it would be less expensive even to have 2 rooms of 3 instead of 3 rooms of 2. I know that we could have fit 4 comfortably in the rooms we had at TLC this past year, and I'm sure the rooms for Convention will be similar, so would it be possible to have extra people in the rooms? If not, we're probably going to have to look into staying at a different hotel.

I have another question...if we're just registering for meals, can we still go to things like initiation, or would we be stuck only going to the meals? None of us really need to go to all of the workshops and things, since we're all alumnae, but we still want to go to initiation, and a few of us who are advisors want to go to things like the collegiate awards ceremony. However, there aren't spaces to register for these extras individually and we don't want to register for the whole day when we aren't planning on attending all of the events.


I'll probably have more questions later... :D

I would email info@alphagammadelta.org for questions about hotel arrangements or alternate registration options.

Dee

i got my packet in the mail yesterday... the cost is really making me nervous.. with airfare, i just don't know if i can pull it off.. :(