Most Cheap and Cheerful Alum event?

[Kasis-anon]

I know that many generous gc alums have posted their local AA events, and I have read about many that I plan to use in the next year. But what I’d like to ask now is; what is your favorite easy, low-cost event?
We have a group of alumnae exhausted by a year of difficult and pricey events, so we need to ease up on the amount of planning and spending.
What’s worked the best in your area?

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Tour of the Redhook Brewery. Costs $1 and you get to keep the souvenir glass. We then usually go to lunch afterwards at somewhere inexpensive (Red Robin).

Happy hours can be cheap as well.

Usually our Founders Day is the only expensive event for us.

[WCUgirl]

We had two that were very cheap and very popular.

One was tailgating for the Knights game (minor-league baseball team in the area). It was only $8 to get in to the game, but only four of us actually went in! Everybody came for the tailgating in the parking lot.

The other was a potluck/game night. One of the alums hosted it at her house, and everyone brought a covered dish of some sort, and a board game or cards or something. I wasn't able to attend this one, but I heard it went very well.

[Kasis-anon]

Thanks, these are some great ideas! I love the tour idea--I'm going to do a internet search for something similar in my area! And the tailgating for minor league baseball is great, a super fall kick-off event. I was thinking of a traditional pot-luck, I love these myself but I find that really young alumnae get intimidated by the idea of making something to share with everyone. Maybe we'll assign them salad so they won't stress!
thanks again!!!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Just tell them they can buy something. I don't think I've actually made anything for a potluck in years.

[AOIIsilver]

We had a meeting at the shooting range and had an off-duty police officer teach us all how to shoot Glock 9's.
Just cost the shooting range time/ammunition.
Silver

[HBADPi]

The one event we had where we had the most turn out and people enjoyed was an Alumn mixer with one of the fraternity alumn associations in the area. It was a great idea since it gets so hard to meet people after college and why should the collegiates have all the mixer fun . We got together at a local bar and did a happy hr where we had a room reserved for us and we did icebreakers. It was great, some dates and business contacts came out of it!

[AGDee]

A "Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae" event is similar to a potluck, but less intimidating and time consuming because everybody just brings some sort of ice cream topping to share. Anybody can buy some hot fudge, caramel or whipped cream!

Combine that with a Chick Flick night and you're good!

Dee

[AlphaXiGirl]

Potlucks with a theme can be very successful. Our favorite is the Mexican Potluck where everyone brings some sort of Mexican dish - which means lots of chips, salsa, queso, bean dips, etc. We almost always host our events at a member's home. Last time, everyone else brought the food and the host provided great margaritas - both spiked and virgin options.

We also have "philanthropy" nights where everyone brings a donation for goodie bags to donate to a local charity - such as a battered women's shelter - we spent the night stuffing bags with soap, shampoo, etc, munched on snacks and spent some fun time with sisters swapping stories.

We had a financial advisor come one time, she was free, and got some referals out of it. She spent 45 minutes or so talking about women and investing, giving advice, warning us of mistakes that many women make, etc. I'm sure if you called any American Express Financial, AG Edwards, etc office, you could get someone to come. They will see it as an opportunity to find new clients.

Look for "Free Concerts/Movies/Plays in the Park" type events in your area. We did that when I lived in Texas and it was great fun. We all just brought our own picnic dinner and enjoyed the concert.

One of our other associations had a wine and cheese tasting party where 1/3 brought their favorite white wine, 1/3 brought their favorite red wine, 1/3 brought their favorite cheese and crackers.

[Kasis-anon]

Wow, you guys have held some creative events. The shooting range one was definitely original, I've never heard of that one before. I bet everyone had a great time!
I like the variations on the pot-luck theme, that gives everyone a focus and you could tie it to various holidays etc...
The mixer one is great. I'd love to see that one taken on, especially by our younger alumnae I bet they would love planning and inviting to that one. Also, there's potential for a city-wide Panhellenic/IFC mixer. I think that would be fun to work towards as maybe a once- a year "big event."
I also so appreciate the philanthopy idea. So many women want to be able to do more philanthropic work but our lives are so crowded. That's such a good way to get together and do something useful at the same time.
You guys are fabulous, your AAs must be so much fun to be involved in.
thanks again,

[EEKappa]

Great ideas!

Our AA has done this for the past two years, and it's been very well attended:

Holiday cookie swap, combined with a Toys for Tots collection. It's held on a Saturday morning in early December, the hostess serves a light lunch (like soup and bread), then everyone heads off for holiday shopping. There is a contest for best cookie, with an (ugly) owl ornament as the rotating award.

Edited to add: Last year we boxed up a bunch of the cookies for the collegiate chapter to snack on during finals. They were thrilled!

[pinkyphimu]

this was not something my ac did, but i went to a a "byob" party...bring your own banana. you had to decorate your banana for a theme. there were prizes for the best "dressed," most origional, etc., then we made banana splits! everyone could bring their own banana and then assign a topping or an ice cream, drinks, etc.

for your potluck, you could list out the items you need and let people choose. personally, i always choose a wine or desert, so i don't have to make it! for our holiday potluck, we said people could either bring a dish or make a $10 donation to our philanthropy. some of our new moms were thrilled to make a donation instead of having to cook!

[Boodleboy322]

Originally posted by Kasis-anon
We have a group of alumnae exhausted by a year of difficult and pricey events, so we need to ease up on the amount of planning and spending.
What’s worked the best in your area?

We have an annual Spring picnic where we invite the brothers and their spouses/kids. The event is held at a park where we use the grills. We all BYOB it and bring whatever we feel like grilling.We usually follow the event with a miniature golf tournament. It's very inexpensive and your wife won't bust your b@!!$ too hard for going out.

Best Regards,

Boodleboy322
Phi Mu Alpha
Gamma Theta Alumnus
Delta Omega Class of 99

[FSUZeta]

ornament exchanges at christmas are fun

bunko parties are popular

have some speakers in-investment or financial planning, insurance, wills and trusts, cooking, pampered chef, mary kay(might give everyone mini facials)

spa night-if you have massage schools in town, they may give short massages for free for the practice

themed potlucks

[honeychile]

Originally posted by AOIIsilver
We had a meeting at the shooting range and had an off-duty police officer teach us all how to shoot Glock 9's.
Just cost the shooting range time/ammunition.
Silver

GREAT idea!!! We did this for another organization, not our AA. One of the members belonged to the range, and some NRA sharp shooters gave the short-version Personal Protection class!

Potlucks are popular here, too - and here's a hint, if you're into them: when you see a yard sale, pick up a casserole dish or plate for a dollar or under. That way, if you don't get your dish back at the end of the night, you don't feel as badly about it.

We've done Mary Kay, Avon, and some candle thing. This month, we're going to meet at our chapter suite and paint. That could be interesting!