Aw man, I was hoping that one of you helpful people would be able to answer. ;) :p

The packet says to e-mail Deanna Bogie Conaty at IHQ, so that's what I'll do (woo! rhyme! :p). If anyone has any questions they'd like me to ask her, either PM me or post them here, and I'll post the answers when I get them. That way we can somewhat save Deanna's inbox from the flood of e-mails I'm sure she's going to be getting. I'm going to send the e-mail with my questions tomorrow.

Deanna is very helpful and helped me out with special diet issues when my Crohn's was really bad during TLC two years ago.

Dee

Another Hawaii Alpha Gam and I were talking about taking a train part way (because obviously we couldn't train it all the way from Hawaii!!!) We thought it might be kind of fun to fly to a west coast destination and begin a train caravan... picking up convention bound squirrels along the way (and probably a couple of nuts!)

We've been checking out the Amtrak schedule to see if there's a route that may work, but haven't decided for sure we'll do it.

Good Standing
 

Here's a question I just thought about. I am going to email IHQ but I thought I would post in case anyone here knows the answer first, lol.

I think I know the answer but I wanted to toss this out.

If a collegian is not in good standing because of grades and/or financial, would she still be able to register for Convention?

Re: Good Standing
 

It seems like grades may not be a rejecting factor, but if you're in financial bad standing you should be able to pay your dues before you pay for Convention.

Re: Good Standing
 

If your membership has been suspended you would not be able to attend. Suspension would be the POSSIBLE path taken by a chapter if a member is not in good standing.

I've been so anxious for 2004 that I almost wrote it on a couple checks already! And why? Because of our centennial!

Dee

Sorry to crash the board, but I just wanted to wish you ladies an early HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY! :)

Sigma Alpha Iota celebrated our 100th last year (2003) and I had the pleasure of attending our National Convention this summer at the place of our founding. It was an INCREDIBLE experience. I am sure your Centennial Convention will be the same way. I hope all you lovely ladies get to go, and have the same experience I did with SAI's. :)

FYI- if four people want to room together the total cost is 719- anyone want to get a room for 4?

I am still debating on whether I am going or not. But if I do that is a great idea. I will probably make up my mind in late February. After I get my tax return. ;)

I am torn because my family & my daughter (age 5) really want to go to DisneyWorld this year. I don't know if I can do both. Ugh! :(

Kristin!!! DisneyWorld will be there forever! AGD only turns 100 once.

I have an idea--bring your daughter along. We'll all dress up like buckaneers and try to convince her that she's on Pirates of the Carribean.

I would also be interested in a room for 4 if it would save money. :)

Sarah, thanks for finding that out. I am also sitting the fence between going or not. I have to decide if I can afford to do it all. If I want to go to grad school I will need to get my butt in gear paying GC off (I still own them a little bit). Also Jeremy wants to go to the beach sometime and I have school loans coming due. That thousand dollars could be useful elsewhere... but I so want to go. If it wasn't the 100 I would be able to miss it, but how cool would it be to go to your first convention on the 100th celebration!

I need to win the lottery and I would either take everyone on my tab or I would help those like me! Oh well...

like everyone else, thanks for that info sarah!

i'm definitely unsure what i'm going to do as well. i keep thinking, convention or covering almost one months rent! it's hard. especially since i've been planning on buying a condo in boston right around that time, and that will definitely not be easy for me. i'm struggling thinking about downpayments, mortgages, etc. winning the lottery definitely sounds like a nice option!

I don't know if this helps but there is 190 days 'til Convention. I think someone said a 4-person room would run $719in total registration costs, so if one saved $3.78 each day up til Convention, you'd have $719! Or if you're thinking it'll cost you around $1,000, then save $5.26/day and that will get you there!

If there's any way you can afford it....go! The next big one won't be until 2029 and who knows where we'll all be in our lives (think paying for college/weddings for your children, etc.).

It's ok with IHQ to put 4 people in a room? For some reason I didn't think it was (although I think that if the people staying in the room are ok with it and it saves money, we should be able to). $719 sounds a whole lot better than $895, so if it is ok with IHQ, I think that's what my crew is going to do. Plus, we're probably driving, which will save even more money, even though it's a 12 hour trip...good thing we're sisters and we get along! ;)


I can't wait!!! :D


ETA: Is the $719 with or without the $50 early registration discount?

I don't know, I emailed IHQ with the name provided in the packet and she is the one that gave me the $719 figure.

I guess it's ok, then, since you got the info from IHQ! :)

The $719 doesn't include the four night hotel stay, does it....I'm coming, but it'll cost me an arm and a leg

Correct me if I'm wrong, fellow Alpha Gam GC'ers, but the $719 includes everything (hotel, registration, meals) but airfare.

That is how I understood it.

Susan, you are correct. The convention package covers everything except airfare and your breakfasts (which can usually be gotten on the cheap anyway!).

Maria, you had the 100th reply to this thread!

Even if I have to CHARGE everything onto my CC, buy a plane ticket to California and DRIVE the whole way to Chicago (while picking up AGDs along the way...) nothing, and I mean NOTHING is going to stop me from the Centennial!

BTW, breakfasts (when I bothered to wake up in time, anyway) in Atlanta consisted of Grits for me. LOL. My concern at this point is whether or not I'll have enough $$$ to shopping and Chicago nightlife-ing.

OK, thanks for the info, ladies! :) Hope to meet all of ya there

I know, I am a geek but I am getting excited for July! It is going to be a special Convention for me. :)

If you're a geek, then we all are! I don't think anyone here is not excited for July. ;)

I was just wondering how so many of us are going to get around with out cars!!! But I'm NOT about to drive to Chicago!...unless my sister GTaus want to!;)

Our hotel is right in the heart of the Magnificent Mile so you'll be able to walk just about anywhere you want to go. If you want to go somewhere further, taxis are abundant and not too expensive. Trying to drive in downtown Chicago is insane and it's very expensive to park.

I love Chicago and go there as often as I can!

Dee

Trying to drive in downtown Chicago is insane and it's very expensive to park.

Another thing Atlanta and Chicago have in common besides busy airports!:p

Would it be easier to fly into O'Hare or Midway?

Both airports are a distance from the hotel but you can get shuttles. O'Hare is HUGE and Midway is smaller. I usually fly into Midway but I fly Southwest and they don't fly to Atlanta (last I checked). Midway is a smaller "easier to deal with" airport though.

Dee

Not getting my hopes up yet, but my mom's been asking for more information about Chicago. I guess her company has a partnership with the Marriott so she's going to see if there's any way she can use her discount on me (she's been with them almost 30 years!). Do you know if this would be possible where I'd pay the regular price for Convention materials and meals? I guess I'll have to double check with IHQ once my mom finds out more info.

She knows that I'm concerned about costs, hopefully she'll be able to lend me some $$$. I told her I'd pay her back with interest. I'm desperate here, guys.

That is without the $50 early registration discount. We were told $669 for 4 people, if you registered early!!!!!!:)

I am dying to go--- I will know for sure within 2 weeks if I am going.
Anyone interested in a 4 person non-smoking room?


-wendi

WOW! Big difference between $895 and $669!

I'm still interested in doing a room for 4, if anyone else is! Let me know, March 1 is coming up REALLY quickly!

Sent my Convention info in a couple of weeks ago. :)

My mom and aunt may be joining me in Chicago if she can get the time off! She says that while I'm doing my Convention stuff they'll be out shopping and on the town. Hopefully I can convince her to have us stay a few extra days so I can get the most out of Chicago too!

Still haven't sent in my info, but I normally send it in right before the Early Bird deadline.

Do you think it's tacky to put down 10 or so names of girls I want to room with? I've gotten so many offers from sisters who want to room with me and I can't choose just one! This is a big up from Atlanta. Last time I only listed 5.

If I can't choose I may as well have IHQ choose for me!

If you want to room with someone, you need to send your registration stuff and theirs in together. IHQ doesn't have the staff nor the time to try to find individual registration forms and match them up with others....be kind to them - they have alot to do to make this event fabulous from the logistical standpoint!

Question: Are all the AGDs going to be on the same floor (depending on room availability)?

Usually we're all over the place...they don't reserve an entire floor or anything like that. But there ususally are other sisters on the same floor as yourself.

Well, considering the sisters I want to room with are all scattered across the country, it'll be difficult to send my stuff in with theirs. I can't remember if I sent my info in with someone else's the last time, but then I got put in a room with a chapter sister anyway.

I'll be sure to include my apologies to IHQ for being a troublesome convention attendee.

Thanks for the info, Wendi! $669 is much more manageable. :)

I'm considering 4! "Elmo" and I were discussing it this weekend. Will let you know ASAP. :D