Paddles
 

I searched and didn't find anything about this. I'm sure someone will direct me to it if I missed it. ;)

So, paddles! Who, what, when?

I just learned from 'centaur532' that in her chapter the 'moms' give the paddles to the 'daughters'. I thought this was interesting. In my chapter the littles decorated a paddle and gave it to their bigs after initiation.

Because of the negative connotation associated with paddles, some KD chapters now use wooden daggers that are about a foot tall. My chapter used the tradition paddles. Then they came out with ones with a slot for a photo and we used those.

So, how does your chapter do it? Littles to bigs, bigs to littles? Do you have "family" paddles? Have the shapes changed to be more PC? Do you decorate them? When do you exchange them? Or do they stay in the family? Got any photos?

In my fraternity, the little brother is supposed to give his big brother a paddle after the big brother gives the little brother a sweatshirt with sewn-on letters...however, most little bros don't wait around on the big bros and give them their paddles anyway...I still haven't gotten my sweatshirt from my big or my paddle from my little lol

in my chapter, big bros and little bros make and exchange paddles for each other at the end of initiation. we use traditional paddles and just decorate them to make them personal. also, the big bro is supposed to buy a shirt with formal (sewn on) letters for his little bro so that the little gets his first set of letters from his big bro.

In my chapter, the littles are in charge of creating and decorating a paddle for their bigs and they give it to them at initiation

"wall plaques" They're called "wall plaques" ;)

My chapter was a fairly young chapter and just started doing paddles (as a chapter) my senior year. They were initiation presents for the new members from their bigs. (of course I ordered one for my big and myself since I had no little and my big was an alum ;))

My sister (a Tri Delta) does paddles for EVERYTHING. And they do the handpainted ones too. They have like 3 different types of sisters (pearl, big and mom... I think) and everyone gives everyone paddles all the time. Luckily they have a source that gets the plain wooden ones for 4 bucks a piece.

As a pledge I made paddles for my special and my Mom (my real MOM.) As a Delta I have made paddles as a gift for neos, and for sorors. Also as a Delta I have received paddles from pledges, sorors, and other NPHC members.
In other words there were no rules about who got one when. Just rules about what was on them at the time of the gift.

Bigs and lils exchange paddles during Inspo week (week of initiation).

My chapter used to do plain ones, but now i'd say 85% of them are entirely painted.

I made this one for lil #1: http://i10.tinypic.com/6gx3zok.jpg
the picture is poor quality, but you can see it has a photo of us on it as well as family symbols (palm tree, family name etc).

I don't have a picture of lil #2's or the paddles they gave me.

paddle i gave my big: http://i5.tinypic.com/4yuh3sx.jpg

paddle from my big: http://i8.tinypic.com/5y9t5dl.jpg

At both my undergrad and the chapter I advised, the pledge mom/key sister (as they're now called) made it for the new member upon her initiation. I think I was in the last pledge class at my chapter to get actual "paddles," after us they started using large wooden keys.

Some people did just basic paddles -- names, year, letters, coat of arms. Some went all out with the paint, ribbon, glitter and craft glue -- especially at the chapter I advised.

My tri delta BFF did a lot of paddles if I remember correctly. I realize it's probably a chapter-to-chapter thing but it amused me to read this :)

My paddle is pretty awesome, my favourite colour is orange so my 'mom' painted it orange and all the letters silver with silver glitter and a silver bow to hang it with.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...3be&id=1404447 <----- some paddles I made

we make plaques for our bigs and vice versa. the one from my big has red AOII ribbon going around it with sparkly red and white glitter. the one from my little is pink with black outline with gold glitter letters and purple letters. we exchange about 3/4 through there new member period at big/lil sleepover, where we give the littles a bunch of little goodies in a decorated sleeping pillow.

i know my dchi boyfriend made a plaque for his big and his big made him a jersey with double stitched letters.

Littles make their bigs a paddle and present it at their new member social. Bigs are responsible for procuring a stiched sweatshirt to give to their little directly after initiation.

Pledge Pop gives a paddle (see below).

Also, during initiation week we get a wooden badge, you have your closest brothers sign it.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...869/paddle.jpg

those are AMAZING!

Thank you. I am in semi-retirement from paddle-making because I am almost certain the paint fumes make me sick. And yes, I use a mask.

OMG! Paddles is my chapters' thing! Littles give them to bigs after initiation. (chapter tradition)

Some are traditional with a creative flair (ex. a "normal" paddle but the handle is Tinkerbell).

My paddle is a HUGE painted Lightning McQueen from the movie "Cars" because that is my obsession!
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6.../mypaddle2.jpg

There was a Mickey Mouse with a moving top, a HUGE actual Sleeping Beauty, the witches from the poster of "Wicked" (gorgeous), a HUGE moon/star combo. A neon pink "A" (both big & lil had names that began and ended with "A"). My big was a TKE Sweetheart and I knew and she didn't know, so we got initiated the day of TKE Formal, and I gave her a red heart with a cute slogan having to do with her nickname and her being sweetheart when they announced that she had the position at the formal! All the letters were painted silver.
Another of my pledge sisters went by the nickname "Pimpin'" so she made her big a HUGE pimp cup with bling and everything it was so neon pink it looked orange! We've also had a huge ballerina, toe shoes, and the list goes on.

My chapter is HUGE on paddles, I'll try to post some of the pics so you can see! We usually have big's name, pledge class, and season/year, and little's name, pledge class and season/year on them. Some girls don't ask around to see exactly what should go on a paddle and it can make you feel bad when people bust out with some of the gogeous creations that they do and you put like 5 minutes of effort into it. It gets crazier every year! It helps that one of the girls' father cuts wood and can make any shape. It's not a requirement, but it's a beautiful ceremony and we encourage everyone to participate. And even if they come with just a simple plaque, it's appreciated.

At my chapter, big sisters made the paddles for their lil sis, and gave the paddle to them after initiation.
I have pictures, but can't figure out how to put them in the post without them being on a website...

hahaha, my org is known for having crazzzzzyyyy paddles. My PE paddle was 5 ft tall. :D :D

We got paddles during Big Sis revealing.

We also did a paddle exchange, and there were always sisters who did their own paddle exchange on the side.

I have four paddles. One is yellow with frogs all over it. Another is pink with pink polka dots, another is purple with plaid letters, and the last one is gold and tiger striped w/ivy.

At my chapter, the little Sapphire Sisters give it to their big Sapphire Sisters, sometime after initiation...

I only have one, and I still love it!!

Sorry for the photo quality, I had to use my camera phone...

Here's the whole paddle - I am one of the twin founders of the Cheetah Family, thus the cheetah:


Here's a closer look at the airbrushed cheetah:


I love it, it's the first thing you see when you walk into my room!

these are all beautiful... I would love to see more!