:D and maybe indulge in a little show and tell?

I've been to one Convention - 2006 in Orlando

Planning to attend my second one this year in Indianapolis!

Those are some good suggestions! Our numbers are only in the 15-20 range, so I don't think that we'd be able to raise much, but any little bit would be helpful.

We are similar, except that AC delegates receive no help aside from what their AC can afford to contribute/fund. It is quite obvious at Convention that many of the smaller chapters do not have a delegate in attendance. Personally, I am able to pay my own way, I like to go, and I look at it as making a contribution to the Sorority. But, I am very cognizant of the fact that there are many women for whom the cost is too high. I do appreciate hearing what other GLOs do.

1993- Chicago
2001- Atlanta
2004- Chicago
2006- Indian Wells (way too hot)
2008- San Antonio (hot, but not as bad as Indian Wells)
2012- (coming) St. Louis

Exactly why I haven't gone the years I haven't gone. I've only had one of those paid for by the Fraternity because of the position I held at the time.

Our ACs have to come up with the funds to send a delegate. I'm in a small one, 5 paying members per year, on average, so they can never afford to send someone. We can't pay $300 a year each so the President can go. Collegiate chapters get some funding for their travel expenses. The list of volunteers whose registrations and travel are paid is getting smaller all the time because of the expense and volunteers get a stipend, but that's becoming pretty small compared to total costs. It's a difficult situation. I know the Fraternity isn't making money from Convention. The hotels charge a lot of money for renting the meeting rooms, the equipment such as projectors, etc., and for meals. If you look at what people are charged for weddings at hotels, and multiply that by a number of meals, a number of rooms, etc., it adds up very quickly. There is a certain level of opulence expected also, which makes it more difficult. Then you add the cost of the clothing you may need to buy for the various occasions and, well, it is a pricey venture.

AOII will pay for delegates from ACs and collegiate chapters to attend, but each delegate must pay for their own registration fee, which usually runs about $200. The AC will reimburse for travel, but for my AC, which was broke, I didn't expect them to reimburse me for our last convention...then again, I just had a little jaunt down to Tucson. ;)

A convention on a cruise ship can be done and would probably be cheaper than the typical convention, but it's tricky. If you want to charter the whole ship you'd need in the ball park of 2000+ attendees and they'd need to commit probably a year out AT LEAST. If you want to have it on a ship with other people then you have to commit probably even earlier. The other problem is that the ships that do short sailings are not the cream of the crop and sorority conventions (at least the ones I've ever heard of) are at pretty high-prestige hotels.

On the other hand, if you wanted to go on a cruise with your girlfriends (ALWAYS a good idea) I would be GLAD to sell you that vacation.

I still haven't attended a convention. It seems every year I'm either broke, too busy, or my most recent excuse, a 15+ hour flight away.

I voted "three" because this July will be my 4th and I am currently doing the planning now. I have been to every convention since I graduated, so far. I'm excited and I love it! It's such a great time!

A few years ago (January,2009, I believe...they announced it at the 2008 Convention) Gamma Phi Beta did an official group cruise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our foundation. I really wanted to go on that, but I couldn't talk any of my college sisters into it. I do know that they filled the number of spots they had reserved on the ship. It was just for alumnae, and apparently there were quite a few collegians who expressed disappointment that it wasn't open to them, but I haven't heard anything about doing it again.