Alumnae Brunch

Buttonz · #1 12-05-2003, 07:40 PM

My chapter is planning on holding an Alumnae Brunch and inviting sisters all the way back to out chapter founders. Anyone have any ideas as to forms of entertainment or icebreaks that we can use?

We don't have a large budget. We are giving a suggested donation of $18...do you think that's a good idea or not? What's the chances of most alumnaes give us that much?

33girl · #2 12-05-2003, 09:43 PM

If you're having it at a restaurant or country club, $18 isn't too much at ALL. If it's just going to be in the student center or someplace on campus, I would not ask for more than $10...

Be sure to ask the alums to bring their scrapbooks - these are always good to get things moving. Also depending on how far back your families go, write up the tree for each family and have tables for them so everyone can get to know their multi-bigs & littles.

Buttonz · #3 12-05-2003, 09:49 PM

Our family trees aren't big and most people can't trace them back that far. We will probably do this @ Hillel, but we are having it catered.

SmartBlondeGPhB · #4 12-06-2003, 12:09 AM

I would agree with the restaurant comment. If it's really nice and really good catered food (rather than finger food type stuff) $18 might be ok.

Also, how far are you asking most of the alumnae to drive to get to the event? If they have to drive a couple of hours, they aren't going to be as excited about giving money.

BUT, they shouldn't have a problem giving you something.

The scrapbooks are a good idea. Our Alumnae Chapter has the benefit of having a former International Council member among our members so we got her to speak at one Founders Day event.

Do you have any members who do anything interesting/helpful for work? They could talk about it. Just talking about when they were in the house works too. I find that our collegians like to hear the stories (even the ones that aren't pc anymore).

DGMarie · #5 12-06-2003, 12:55 AM

We have a brunch for Founders Day. We held it at a banquet facility and it cost $22 to attend. we had over 200 turn out.

Buttonz · #6 12-06-2003, 01:03 AM

From the list I got from national, it seems that most of the alumnae's still live in the area. However I know of alumane's that aren't on that list, so who knows how good that list is? None of us think that $18 is to much *we are getting real food, not finger food*, esp. because it's suggested and not required. I am hopign that most will give us it *if not more* just because if not, we are going to have to find this money from somewhere to cover the event, and I don't know where we will find it.

DGMarie · #7 12-06-2003, 01:30 AM

I'm not certain the best approach is to make this $18 voluntary. Please consider selling tickets so you can guarantee you'll get AT LEAST $18 a piece. There is always the option of collecting donations at the event or doing a raffle (we do this) or bake sale or so forth. But I would not plan an event for alums in which you cannot guarantee you will cover your expenses for those who turn out to eat. Our brunch required you to reserve your place at least two weeks prior to the event, so they knew exactly how many to prepare for.

Buttonz · #8 12-06-2003, 01:59 AM

The RSVP date is gonna be 2-3 weeks befroe the brunch. If we do some sort of raffle, what can we give away? I've been trying to think of something

DGMarie · #9 12-06-2003, 02:02 AM

so I'm clear, you are collecting the money with the RSVP, correct?

you could make a basket. Go to the shops having big xmas sales and get either one or two nice items you can afford, or buy a big basket from costplus or pier imports or the like and fill it with goodies like votive candles, body lotion, etc etc things you can find inexpensively from discount stores. You should charge about $5 for raffle tickets unless the item you are raffling isn't big.

Buttonz · #10 12-06-2003, 02:20 AM

RSVP is goign to be done by phone or by e-mail probably. Therefore we won't get any money until the brunch.

Little E · #11 12-06-2003, 05:01 PM

I'm planning our 5 yr reunion and the advice I've been given is charge the alumnae. They have jobs, you are in college, it is not the job of the active chapter to feed the alumnae members. They are grown women. $20 won't hurt them, and if necessary, offer some assistance to recent grads. We are having our reunion, coupled w/formal, augh, and charging $50 for a couple and then an additional $15 for friday dinner, brunch on sat. Plus we are furnishing refreshments at the alumnae/active meeting. I was told that these get togethers, esp while the chapter is young, should be focused on communicating what the chatper is doing and telling alumnae face up how they can help. Unfortunatly, we need money to opperate and furnish our houses. I guess if you get the alumnae used to coming to help out, it will help ease the barrier, they know they can help, but they also need to have clear communcation.

they could send the money in the mail, or pay at the door.

AXORissa · #12 12-06-2003, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Buttonz

We don't have a large budget. We are giving a suggested donation of $18...do you think that's a good idea or not? What's the chances of most alumnaes give us that much?

$18, how Jewish

I think its a great idea, as an alumna, I wouldnt mind paying a small donation for lunch with my sisters. Play down the cost, and dont "suggest" its a donation.. .flat out say that Brunch will cost $18, and play up being with your sisters. We know college students have no money.

Good raffle ideas are 50/50-- people like money. and it doesnt cost anything!

Buttonz · #13 12-06-2003, 05:20 PM

The idea behind not charging and making it suggested is that alumnae's shouldn't have to pay for alumnae programing...but htinking about it, and whatI have heard from all of you, I am going to bring it up to make it $18 for the brunch. If we were able to afford it, maybe it would be diffrent, but I know that we can't.

AEPhiSierra · #14 12-06-2003, 05:36 PM

I don't know why it would be such a big deal having the alumnae pay. To expect the chapter to pay I feel is unreasonable - especially at our school, collegiate chapters don't have money to throw away.

My chapter had a 10th Anniversary brunch in 2002 and we charged the sisters $40 or $50 which covered the food at the restaurant, a picture frame, a group photo, and the costs of the mailings about the event. The chapter didn't lay out any money (we were refunded money we initiaially laid out for postage). While the chapter should keep the alumnae informed, it really is more of the responsibilty of alumnae to plan these types of events. While we don't have a formalized alumnae association our alumnae newsletter and reunions have always been coordinated by alumnae with the chapter having an alumnae chair to act as a liaison for the chapter.

Buttonz · #15 12-06-2003, 05:37 PM

We have an Alumnae chair...but it's baiscally one of those postions that do close to nothing