[GPhiBLtColonel]

Our alum chapter is small (about 20-24 dues paid members) and it just so happens that three 50-year members we have had (includes this latest one) are all also dues paid members. Our Headquarters sends the 50 year stick pin(s) to the alum chapters who acknowledge they will present it to the member(s) -- I believe there is no charge for the pin or maybe a minimal charge. Dues paid or not doesn't matter to our alum chapter or to too many other alum chapters that I am aware of....in fact our 2nd 50-year member became a dues paid member AND went to her first convention since she was a collegian (we were roomies and had a BLAST!) after we gave her her 50 yr pin! She had been getting our newsletters all along and kept meaning to get involved and just never got around to it -- her aged mom had been sick (she is now passed away) and she was busy tending to her in Florida (we are in GA) so her schedule was hectic. She happened to be here in town when I called to see if she could come to Founders Day to receive her pin (I was alum chapter Pres at the time) AND she was also going to be in town when Founders day occurred! Very fortuitous! Our first 50 year member had actually been a member for almost 60 years when our alum chapter got started and she had never been involved at all since college....until I called her! We surprised her at one meeting with her 50 year pin and she was THRILLED!! She is one of our most stalwart members even though she is 80 years old! She comes to nearly all our meetings/events and drives herself! She was just at our recent Founders day, wearing her 50 year stick pin proudly! And we even had one collegiate there too -- wide age span of sisters
-- very heartwarming example of sisterhood!

Are ya'll's 50 year pins very expensive? If they aren't, I would do whatever it took to get them for the women -- dues paid or not -- you may get these valuable older sisters involved again and even if you don't, just the act of getting them their pin will mean so much -- to them and esp to younger DG alums who witness the ceremony etc.