Chapter Gifts
 

OK, so when I took a road trip at the beginning of last year and visited a lot of chapters on the way to Chicago, I noticed a lot of them had pretty cool stuff in their houses with letters on them. I asked them where they got it, and they all talked about chapter gifts - where a gift is made to the chapter each year.

Can anyone tell me more about this? Is it something the chapter does together? Something mainly the pledges do? What ideas have you guys had for these gifts? I saw a really cool pong (Beirut) table at one of the chapters.

-Rudey
--I hope you guys don't mind talking about something positive like this...

One of our pledge class requirements was to make something for the common area of the house. These were usually "girly" things like pillows and wallhangings. Guys obviously would make something a little more manly. ;)

I think something that would be nice is a mail-sorter, or if you all cook for yourselves, some kind of organizer to keep everyone's food separate in the kitchen.

We do chapter gifts, too, even though we don't have a house.

Each pledge class presents their gift to the chapter following initiation. (One of our requirements -- you know, aside from the usual philanthropy, retreat, etc. -- was a fundraiser.)

Past gifts have been:

~ a huge, elaborately framed version of our creed
~ a candelebra (the one the pledges had seen during rush was a little worse for the wear)
~ a portrait of our founders
~ a collage of sisterly photos (for rush, etc.)
~ a million little things -- candles in our colors, and other little things the chapter somehow always finds the need for

My chapter had a tradition of chapter gifts. My Pledge Class (Fall 1984) built a bar for the house (The Good Old Days?).
The Spring 1985, Fall 1985 and Spring 1986 Classes combined funds and laid down a poured cement half court basketball court/sport court on our back lawn.
These gfts were popular,well used and made us all feel like we had improved our fraternity house.
Projects can unify a pledge class without the stupidity or risk of hazing!

My pledge class presented the chapter with a new chapter banner the semester I was initiated.

My most favorite class gift was last Spring's gift...it was a Car Wash kit. My chapter always has a problem getting hoses and sponges and soap when it comes time for the car washes...so now the collegians have everything in one place!

At my chapter, the senior class buys a gift for the house before they leave. Sometimes it is sentimental (like stuff for ritual or something to hang in the house), sometimes it is something useful (like kitchenware), or sometimes it is something that's just cool (like a wide-screen TV or a new DVD player).

all of our phi classes are supposed to do something for the chapter before they graduate.....my class is looking for ideas.....