How far are you from your alum chapter/club/assoc.?
 

As some of you know, I have been investigating Alumnae Initiation since summer. I have a great lead, but I may now have to live apx. one hour from the nearest Alumnae group. Do you think this would be a problem? I am more than willing to make the drive, and I am wondering if other active alums ever travel a significant distance to stay involved with a alumni/ae group. Thanks!

LM

Re: How far are you from your alum chapter/club/assoc.?
 

If you are willing to make the drive, then there should be NO problem!

We have a number of alumnae who drive about the same distance to come to our events.

The problem occurs (and this may not sound nice) when women who live that far away expect the alumnae chapter to have events closer to them even though the majority of the group live the hour away.

Re: Re: How far are you from your alum chapter/club/assoc.?
 

I agree....I live about 45 minutes to an hour from the *central* location of my alumnae association, and I have NO problem making the drive to attend events or meetings (as long as there are no schedule conflicts!) I have no expectations that these women have events "closer" to my home, nor would I want them to! I know that it's better to have the events in a more centrally located area than in one where it benefits one or two members of a group of over 100 people! :)

I'm a member of the Alumnae chapter here in Lexington and honorary i guess to the one in Louisville(an hour away). I've never had a problem commuting for Louisville chapter and Louisville Alumnae Panhellenic stuff.

I say if it is the closest one, and/or you like them then dont let it stop you :)

I have been very lucky as far as location goes. I was AI into an alum chapter 40 minutes from home then i moved and got with another one which i help found and was 30 minutes ( traffice 20 minutes without) and now that i am moved again and settled i just found out they have been forming one here in town and i inquired and were having oru first meeting here at my house next month so very local now

Very local for me. I got AI'd at University of British Columbia which is 30 minutes from me :)

I would not mind heading south to visit the ladies in the Seattle/Tacoma area though! I would love to

Louisa May, it's great that you are willing to make the drive!

Our alumnae association has members from all over the state. There are some people who have to drive over an hour and a half, and we see them several times a year, and some that have only an hour's drive and think it's too far and inconvenient. Those with the long drives have said "I've never once thought on the way home 'Oh, that was too much trouble.'"

It all depends on what your schedule is, and what's important. :) And when and how many meetings you'll need to attend early on. Our active chapter has its chapter meetings at 10:00 on Tuesdays. Can't say that I've ever been to one!

Best of luck to you with your AI!

In our alum chapter, alum officers reside in only two cities right now (or areas): Oklahoma City and Tulsa. All but one of us live in the OKC metro. We actually split our meetings between Tulsa and OKC. We only actually have to have a sit down meeting once every few months. It's fairly casual.

Of course, our alum chapter was only founded around 6-8 months ago, so we're still in the very early stages. Active participants live as far away as Dallas, TX though (about 3 1/2 hours from OKC).

I'm very close to where my local Alum group should be, but I can't get ahold of anyone for more information! I keep emailing the chair but I never receive an email back!

Does SK have a listing on their National Web Site?

This may help in finding Local Alums!:)

In Alum Chair, are you talking about Your Chapter?:confused: Or Local Alum Organization?

You may have to dig out some of the Local Alums or run an ad in the local newpaper for example.

I've been to the National web site, that is where I got the email of the contact for my closest Alum organization. I have sent 3 emails & she hasn't contacted me back so I emailed the next closest organization & haven't heard back from them either. I know they are an active organization because when I was active they were always visiting us! I even helped with Recruitment this past year & met some of the other Alum in my area!

*Sorry for using the wrong terms in regards to the contact for the Alum group.*

I live an hour from my AS and the drive dosen't bother me one bit. All the cool resturaunts n-stuff are in Orlando and I work there anyhow. Heck i was so gung ho about being involved I took an office I can't wait!! :D

3 hours...but it's worth the drive. :)

You might want to talk with the person who coordinates the Alum Chapters at your IHQ. I'm pretty sure that not all of our Alum chapters read the email sent to the alum chapter address...you may just need to make a phone call instead!

I actually drive past one chapter to get to mine. The only times I mind is when there's been an accident clogging up the freeway. But, it's worth it to me to drive and be involved and feel connected with my chapter, rather than have a quick drive to spend time with women to whom I don't feel that same connection. Also, my cousin is in the chapter I travel to, so it gives me a chance to visit family ;)

Ya! But one stipulation...
 

Ah hem...you better plan on coming to see your TRIAD/A-PANHELL/&BETA SISTER...

:)

Most events have been w/in 8 miles from home (one was about 16 miles one way).:)

Every org is different but I guess if your chapter of interest doesn't have a problem with it I'm sure you could make it work. My chapter is about an hour from me, on a good day with no traffic, and as everyone else has said it's well worth the trip to be with my sisters.

mile-wise, i don't live far from the main events, but traffic-wise, it can take me up to an hour to get there. it isn't that big of a deal. sometimes i don't go to events on week nights if i have something for work the next day because i know i will be exhausted (i work 1 hour in the other direction). the good thing about being in an alumnae chapter is that there isn't a ton of pressure to be at every single event! m you may even find out that several of you drive from the same area, so you can have driving pals or you can have a sub-group that meets in your area sometimes.

I am about 40-45 mins from my original chapter and they are the place the alum assoc holds the meetings. Its just hard when you are at work and honestly work is another 25-30 mins from Akron in downtown Cleveland so I am around a hour and a half from it and never can get there on time. Two times I attempted to go but it was such a drive I was like a hour late for it. I did hear we have another ADPi alum assoc in Cleveland that Im in contact with, but noone is really involved in it. It stinks when you want to be involved but just is such a drive you cant get there. I work till 6 most nights so I cant make my meetings. :(