Convention 2005 updates
 

I have talked to Christin twice this week regarding Convention. She is having fun and seeing all kinds of sisters from GC. The speaker Wednesday night was fabulous. XB elections are tomorrow and she is going to be calling me and letting me know how they went.

She also said there are some really cute things that will be at the Emporium (panda watches, etc).

Anyway, that's just my brief Convention update! :)

Sarah

Since I didn't have a piece of paper while Christin was telling me, I only have a few little bits of info!

Our new IP is Susan Danko, VPO is Krista Whipple, VPF is Barbara Zipperian, and Director of Alumnae is Kathy Jensen.

Sorry for not having a complete list but I didn't have paper and pen and Christin was in between lunch and Closing Ritual. She did also mention that Life Loyal is up to about 180 members and they were hoping to be around 200 at the end of Convention (so right on target) and the budget includes 400 members so also right on target. :)

That's all for now - I'm sure we will get MUCH better updates once everyone arrives home safely tomorrow!

Roses, Happy (Early) Independence Day and Happy (Belated) Canada Day!

Sarah

I'm home! Convention was wonderful and I was so lucky to be able to reconnect, finally meet :) and spend time with so many AOIIs. There are some really cute things coming to Emporium so save your dollars now!

Major congrats to the women of Kappa Tau on winning JWH, and the absolutely amazing CP of Lambda Upsilon on winning the Perry Award. I hope they put the award presentation speeches up on the website, because they were amazing. Our new XB is going to do so much for AOII. I'm really excited to see what happens during this biennium under their leadership.

Even MORE major congrats to the women of Chi Epsilon for winning the Public Relations award, Pearl Standards of Excellence, AAC Performance AND Corporation Performance!!! I am SO proud of them! Our alumnae chapter also achieved a Gold in Standards of Excellence, which was amazing because we were only reinstalled in November.

Business sessions went well and it was interesting to sit and just observe everything (as a Corp President I was a non-delegate). I did go on the Taste of the Peach tour on Friday night. Dinner was great, we drove all over Atlanta and saw Coca-Cola, the site of the new aquarium, CNN and more. I called Beryana from the Olympic Park, and we got to see the Olympic torch (that was most cool!), MLK Jr.'s childhood tomb and burial site, lots of gorgeous homes, and we even drove by the Varsity (nope, never got to eat over there!

Ooops, one last thing. The Foundation speaker was Leah Amico from the US Women's softball teams. She brought her 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic Gold Medals with her. Now, that was most cool. Her speech was good and appropriate, especially since we have the Strike Out Arthritis events.

Also, Foundation has red AOII Strike Out Arthritis bracelets for $2.00 (like the LiveStong type bracelets). I do not know for sure, but I would guess if you wanted them you could contact Foundation and order some from them.

Hi All! I am still so excited from convention. As Christin said, it was so nice to meet GC sisters and other sisters from all over. I missed neonpi but I was able to grab nphgator and her mom at the end of Rose banquet.

I am excited for the new XB. They are
IP - Susan Danko
VPO - Krista Whipple
VPD - Allison Allgier
VPF - Barbara Zipperian
XBD/A - Kathy Jensen
XBD/CC - Phyllis Gilson
XBD/CC - Linda Grandolfo
XBD/Education (formerly Programming) - Kim Carroll

I am also super excited about the awards!!!!
For my AC, we received the Ruby Award and a Citation for Membership Recruitment and Retention. We were also happy to hear that our own Amber C. won a Rose Award. I can think of few more deserving. Also, Crystal C. was awarded a Presidential Citation.

For my collegiate chapter, all I can say is WOWEEEE!!! Kappa Tau received a Ruby Award, the Philos Award (for 2-8 NPC groups), the Outstanding AAC Award (you could hear all the gasps when it was announced that we have 16 advisers!), an AAC Performance Certificate, the Outstanding Corp. Board Award(with a lodge/house), Corporation Performance Certificate, Quota Honor Roll, Senior Challenge, AOII Strike Out Arthritis! Signature Event (softball) and a Marketing Program Citation for Magazine Sales. However, the true highlight was when we won JWH!!!!!

As Susan was reading the accomplishments, I kept thinking, "that sounds like us, but JWH never goes to chapters with less then 100 members." Susan read some more and she said this chapter was named Outstanding Campus Organization for 3 consecutive years and I knocked my plate which hit the water glass...yes, I made a small mess. Then she talked about scrapbooking and I knew it was us for sure. I looked over at the CA and her head was in her hands crying, I looked at our long serving advisers (25+ years in some cases, including new Rose Award winner Gayle M.) and they were crying too. I was too nervous to cry. Susan then announced the winner, "South- (I jumped up screaming and realized that I was the only one doing so but I didn't care) eastern Louisiana University!" We were all hugging, screaming and crying. We had been so close to JWH for so long. It was really a dream come true. Now that we have it we realize that we need to work even harder to let our light shine!

Here is a picture of us with the JWH and Susan Danko!

http://shim1.shutterfly.com/procsser...s2rDbCJCyKgS58

Here is a picture of our Louisiana Delegation minus 3 because we couldn't find them.

http://shim1.shutterfly.com/procsser...s2rDbCxCyKgS5y

I also want to congratulate the Columbus AC for receiving a Gold Award! It is amazing what you all have accomplished in just such a short amount of time, but then you have great women in your chapter! ;) I should expect no less.


I also want to say that the 2007 convention will be in































Are you ready?

































Phoenix!!


Nanana Boo Boo, I know where the 2009 convention will be but I am not telling cause certain folks would kill me!

Actually, VP Operations is spelt Krista Whipple, and for the directors, their shorthand is XBD/(insert area) :D

Sorry I missed you too, dear!!!!

You are a sweetheart! It wouldn't have happened without about the 40 local AOIIs who are our alumnae chapter members, or without our NS's guidance and support throughout the process (who just happened to be aoiikristi!) It also would not and could not have happened without our AP, our very own SnowLady. She was the one who quite honestly had the time, the determination, and the love for AOII to get the end goal of a fun and functioning alumnae chapter back in Columbus.

BTW, did anyone get the url for the convention photographer? I thought I did, but it didn't work. Thank you!!!

Yeah, yeah, I was in a hurry.;)

Silly me, I forgot to congratulate Chi Epsilon, their advisers and Corp. Pres on their accomplishments.

Also, congrats to Delta Beta, Kappa Chi, Lambda Tau, Nu Beta, Delta Epsilon, Gamma Delta, Alpha Lambda, Gamma Theta, Nu Omicron, Xi, Acadiana AC and Phoenix AC for their awards. I think that I got all of the chapters of GC interest.

More good news ....
 

Roses as well to the 2 chapters I supervise: Kappa Phi (McGill U, Montreal, QC) won an Academic Achievement Cup (3.14 GPA or higher), and a Pearl SOE Award, and Gamma Chi (Carleton U, Ottawa, ON) won a Gold SOE Award. My own home chapter, Kappa Lambda (U of Calgary) received the Ruby SOE Award, and my good friend Kristy Manchul was honoured with a Rose Award!!

:D Congrats to everyone, especially Chi Epsilon - I cheered REALLY loud for their well-deserved PR Award!!!

So happy I could be a part of Columbus' success! I will certainly miss working with the chapter, but trust me when I say it is in good hands!

I also wanted to add to the congrats--my awesome convention roommate, Rene F., won the Adele Hinton award! Congrats to her, I am so proud of her!

Hello Everyone!

Convention was fabulous! Anyway, I had a great time and I'm so proud of ALL of our succesfull AOII Chapters in Canada and the USA! I'm very proud of my chapter (NU BETA) which I advise! They did awesome! I'm also happy to see Kappa Tau doing so well! I love my Lousiana AOII's!

Here are the awards I remember that Nu Beta (OLE MISS) achieved:
Pearl Award
Senior Challenge Award
Highest Sales with the Emporium
AAC Performance Certificiate
Chapter Total Award
Chapter Quota Award
Presidential Citation from Ms. Sally Wagaman
Strike Our Arthritis Award
SHEAF Award for donations to The AOII Foundation

I'm also super stoked about our new Execs! Get excited! I also had a great time singing at Convention! Also, did ya'll know notice but we are a GREAT LOOKING BUNCH!

Good morning everyone!

Well after going to my first convention I must say it was so much fun. I met some of you at convention and felt I needed to join in the fun on greekchat. So since I am new to greekchat let me introduce myself. My name is Amanda and I am the Alpha Lambda Corp. Pres.

If you need it, here is the website for our photographer from convention, http://carpediem-photography.com. It does not look like the pictures from convention are up yet though.

I look forward to chatting with you!

Amanda!!!! Welcome and thanks for the link! You're an angel.

Roses,
Christin

Also, I forgot to tell you all, as I was walking into the Rose Banquet my friend Farrah who works for IHQ now came up and convinced me to join AOII Life Loyal! So I am number 192 or 193 (I cannot remember which number!)

Congrats from #58 ;)

(and as an aside, Farrah is AWESOME!)

You roomed with Rene?! How neat! She was our ANS and she came to the last 2 or 3 Louisiana AOII Days. I just love listening to her stories. She definitely deserved the Hinton award.

Also, welcome greekpeach! It was nice meeting you at convention.

olemissglitter, I am so disappointed that you FORGOT your hat for the tea! However, I did enjoy your singing;when you remembered that you were supposed to be on stage that is! ;) :p

hello. :)

Hey glitter ;) it's me, your midnight chat buddy from convention who busted up her toe, knocked over tons of luggage and STILL is hoarse. ;)

Thanks for telling me about this! :) Now we can keep in touch all the time.

I can honestly say that I am proud of New Orleans and the delegation we had, as well as all of the awards that Louisiana chapters won! :)

Go Kappa Tau. :)

A big welcome to Greekpeach!! So happy you decided to join us!

Aopirose--yes, I was very fortunate to room with Rene, she is just amazing! And Columbus is very lucky to now have her as their ANS!

Kappa Tau--you all should hold your heads high and be so proud of your accomplishments. Way to let your light shine!

I hope everyone here will join Life Loyal AOII. I think it is a great way for all of us to show how much AOII means to us!

Welcome andie to GC!

Thanks! :)

I think aopirose is a member of my alumnae chapter. ;) I think she knows who this is. :)

I had a blast at convention. I'm still hoarse from it all. :)

andie go and post in AOII Roll Call :)

I don't think the 2009 Convention is a secret, is it? I mean, I was told and I'm usually the last to know the AOII scoop.

Hint: It's in the South East....

well I know it's definitely NOT in New Orleans. :p

Its in Oxford, MS!





Just kidding, but that would be fun...

I'd be happy to come to Oxford :D

Yes, we have run into each other a time or two. :)

I don't really know if it is a secret but like I said, the person who told me swore me not to tell. Since I know that she reads this board, my lips are sealed. ;)

It was so great to meet all of you this weekend!

I'm so proud of all of our chapters and their accomplishments! Amazing what can happen when a group of intelligent women get together!

From seeing a process evolve to getting motived to be more ethical I think that this was a great Convention! Although a bit tarted out! :P

I know where it is too, but since it hasn't been officially announced, probably best to keep quiet.

I checked the website and didn't see anything. If someone contacts foundation about these will you let me know if we can order them? I would like to get one for myself.

Sally announced the location of the future conventions at Leadership Academy in Nashville to all of the chapter advisors and chapter presidents, so I don't think it is a secret that it will be in Tampa, Florida. (where I live!! yipee!!)

Tasha

Okay, so this is just the whining of someone who REALLY does not like hot weather! Why can't we have a convention in a cooler place than Florida in the middle of hurricane season which is also some of the most god-awful humid weather known to mankind?!

Chicago is nice during the summer. So is Minneapolis. A REALLY nice place in the summer is the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island! Or Toronto, or Maine, Vermont, anywhere in New England. Seattle would also be fun. If it were winter, wamer climates are better, but NOT in the middle of summer!

Sarah

Oooo I can answer why our Conventions are in hot places!! :)

It has to do with contract rates. If you've noticed aside from NYC and Orlando, our coventions are in places where late June is off-season. This allows AOII to offer better prices to our members (and for the ones that we pay for under our bylaws) so that more people can attend.

I was also thinking Chicago would be a great place but I don't know what's considered off-season for them.

We also have have a long-standing relationship with Marriott (LifeLoyal members get discounts at Marriott hotels as part of their benefits) so we also go where they have hotels - which is most places.

Heck, aside for the group picture and Friday's free time I don't think I stepped outside of the hotel during the convention.

I also think they are trying to go back and forth between east coast /west coast type of thing so that one set of chapters has to eat all the traveling costs each time..

HTH

Part of it is that we can get better hotel and conference rates over that weekend in a "warmer" climate. I'm sure plenty of people are in the cooler locations over the last weekend in June, and rates reflect it. Convention is expensive enough as it is, although I love the thought of Toronto.

and tampa is cooler than chicago - believe it or not -

i just got a call from friends that is was 109 in chicago and it has been 80 - 90.

but canada would awesome!!

tasha

I thought I had heard at one time that there was an issue with drinking age in Canada and that's why we haven't had it there. Anyone else hear this?
But I do love the idea of Mackinac Island, or Cape Cod, that would be really neat!

Bad news...

No Marriott properties in Mackinac or Cape Cod.

BUT!

I couldn't believe that Chicago's prices were higher than Tampas!

Wow!

Sorry. Had to look. Now that was individual prices instead of a whole group with convention details. But I would assume and I think it's safe to assume that if the individual hotel prices are chapter etc then so would the entire package.