I agree Sistah LG.
I cannot afford another dues increase for real though. None of our organizations were founded on the basis of stepping and singing. Last I checked, we were founded to thwart the suffering in our communities. Then we evolved to serve various purposes--as you quite aware...
I personally was not an interest for my Sorority, I was legacy by 3 generations... My Sorority, was not "interesting" for me, it was EXTRAORDINARY for me... And I PLEDGED it that way almost 20 years ago as an "ivy" who transitioned into a soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
But times change and things are different. There is no longer "ivies" and other pledges. That is now history. But the reality is, once one becomes a member of an NPHC organization, the dedication will not be measured by how many parties you train at... What matters is like a golden or a diamond soror told me, you enjoy the good times in the chapter, and you endure the hard times in the chapter...
That is how we play this game if we are serious.