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Okay, well, I've never done "I spy" but I do have a few corresponding secretary ideas.
First, remember that snail mail is something that people never get anymore and therefore treasure all the more, so the cards and letters you send will be valued--just want to make sure you know that because sometimes it seems like a thankless job, but it isn't. The letters and cards you send are tangible evidence of the graciousness of ADPi.
Therefore I suggest that first you get your hands on a very good ettiquette book, I recommend anything written by "Miss Manners," Judith Martin. You will be able to reference the appropriate language and format for every letter you send, I know that I use her books all the time for lots of different situations, whenever I have to write a response to a wedding invite or a very difficult sympathy letter.
Now, think about the people whom ADPi should be communicating with
other sisters
Alumnae and Advisors
RMH
GLOs in your systems
Other organizations on campus
School Faculty
Staff of school
Community at large
Other chapters
So lets break these down with some ideas for each category:
Sisters in your chapter:
Do you send Birthday cards?
How about Anniversary cards for the anniversary of ADPi initiations?
Good luck cards for major tests like MCATs and LSATs are appreciated.
Get Well cards are always appreciated.
Random "Senior Sister Appreciation Cards." Senior retention can be a problem so each month send a couple of seniors a thank you card saying that the chapter appreciates their contributions over the last 3 or 4 years.
Haven't seen a sister at chapter for a while, instead of getting on her back, send her a note saying that she was very much missed and her contributions are always valued.
How about reminder postcards? You could remind sisters of upcoming events, or important campus dates, like registration or housing deadlines.
(Remember that postcards, made yourself are pretty darn cheap to make and send.)
Alumnae and Advisors:
If you have an active alumnae program, cards Congratulating alumnae on new jobs, degrees, weddings, births etc are always appreciated.
As for advisors, a Christmas card, a birthday card and maybe a thank you card once a year can make a volunteers experience so much better.
RMH:
Do you know the staff at RMH? Recognize their life events, bdays weddings etc...
GLOs in your system:
Send an anniversary card for each of their national and local anniversaries.
Send a card congratulating them after each big event, Rush, a philanthropy event, etc...
Send cards acknowledging contributions to campus or community, i.e. a Pi Phi elected Pres. of Student Body should get a card from ADPi
This is the same for Panhellenic and IFC, congratulations and thanksent to the Panhell Rush team, and all the Rho Chis (or whatever they are called) post rush.
Other organizations on campus.
Comb your campus paper, and note all the activties and achievements of the other organizations on campus. Acknowledge the amateur drama department’s productions, send a note of thanks for the debates the local political organizations set up. This may also serve to make you the most campus-aware women in your chapter, which is a nice benefit. You may be inspired to email all your ADPis a "campus calendar" alerting everyone to upcoming events.
School Faculty:
Now, I don't recommend birthday cards here, but make sure you are aware of the achievements of your faculty. If a Professor is awarded a large grant, if a book is published, a study gains national notice, a nice simple congratulatory note is a lovely gesture.
Staff of school:
Go through the day and think about how many services you actually do avail yourself of during the day, how many people silently keep the school humming:
LibrariansParking staff,Computer lab, cafeteria, janitors, etc...a note of thanks to the heads of these departments at the end of each semester is really a nice gesture and helps everyone to remember to be grateful to people that sometimes we don't even see but who help make our days easier.
Community at Large:
Comb the local paper and recognize the schools, businesses and other charitable organizations working in and around your university. Notes of acknowledgment for great philanthropic event, or even to the local High School's drama dept. a successful "spring musical" can deepenthe ties ADPi has to their local community.
Don't forget Christmas Cards and letters to members of the U.S. military. You may want to coordinate this as a your personal service project.
Other Chapters:
Fist, keep posting here and on Pride Online about your chapter's achievements, it gets us all inspired! But feel free to send little congratulatory notes to all the chapters that make Diamond 4point, or whom you read have wonderful service projects or stupdendous recruitments. Communication between ADPis shoud be one of the most fun parts of your job!
Okay, that's my treatise on your job (can you tell that I was Corresponding Secretary in college as well????)
Hope it gives you some useful ideas.
violets
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