How many National Conventions of your GLO have you attended?

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

I have attended twice as an alumnae chapter president. This year I am not serving as president but am contemplating just going as an attendee. Plus, it is a wonderful excuse to go visit AzTheta.

and maybe indulge in a little show and tell?

[KSUViolet06]

As far as what we do, expenses are paid for one alumnae chapter delegate and 2 collegiate chapter delegates (president and one other officer.) Also paid: regional support team members, national officers, and national volunteers.

[ASTalumna06]

I've been to one Convention - 2006 in Orlando

Planning to attend my second one this year in Indianapolis!

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by joliebelle

I belong to one of those big alumnae chapters and we do a fundraiser for our delegate and alternate. There's also built in money from our dues for a convention fund, and each meeting we give a dollar to go towards convention costs. IIRC, the delegate's costs are completely funded and the alternates are partially funded.

Those are some good suggestions! Our numbers are only in the 15-20 range, so I don't think that we'd be able to raise much, but any little bit would be helpful.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

As far as what we do, expenses are paid for one alumnae chapter delegate and 2 collegiate chapter delegates (president and one other officer.) Also paid: regional support team members, national officers, and national volunteers.

We are similar, except that AC delegates receive no help aside from what their AC can afford to contribute/fund. It is quite obvious at Convention that many of the smaller chapters do not have a delegate in attendance. Personally, I am able to pay my own way, I like to go, and I look at it as making a contribution to the Sorority. But, I am very cognizant of the fact that there are many women for whom the cost is too high. I do appreciate hearing what other GLOs do.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Always AlphaGam

Atlanta 2001 was my very first Convention. I've also attended the 2004 Centennial in Chicago and 2006 in Indian Springs. MAN -- that was HOT.

I was hoping to attend the one in St. Louis but it doesn't look like it'll be possible. There's always 2014!

1993- Chicago
2001- Atlanta
2004- Chicago
2006- Indian Wells (way too hot)
2008- San Antonio (hot, but not as bad as Indian Wells)
2012- (coming) St. Louis

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Right, but this year's is double the registration cost from that Convention, and $200 more than the last in Orlando. And the part-time registration is pay per day, which I think is a little different from how they did it in the past. I don't really want to fly to Denver for just two days, and I find the business sessions to be really interesting. So yeah, I just find it disappointing...the costs are out of line, IMO...I mean, I just went on an 11-night Caribbean cruise for $900, and that included all meals and lodging.

Exactly why I haven't gone the years I haven't gone. I've only had one of those paid for by the Fraternity because of the position I held at the time.

Originally Posted by Titchou

So your national organization and alumni chapter don't pay all your expenses as a delegate? Between the two, they will pay for all of mine as alum president.

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

They pay nothing for an AC chapter. I've always paid my own way, because I hate to take money from our AC for it. The big alumnae chapters have sufficient funds to subsidize their delegate, but it's hard for the smaller chapters like ours. I wonder what other GLOs do? I think one of the reasons it's expensive is that it's a profit-making venture...that's typical for conventions held for non-GLO organizations.

Our ACs have to come up with the funds to send a delegate. I'm in a small one, 5 paying members per year, on average, so they can never afford to send someone. We can't pay $300 a year each so the President can go. Collegiate chapters get some funding for their travel expenses. The list of volunteers whose registrations and travel are paid is getting smaller all the time because of the expense and volunteers get a stipend, but that's becoming pretty small compared to total costs. It's a difficult situation. I know the Fraternity isn't making money from Convention. The hotels charge a lot of money for renting the meeting rooms, the equipment such as projectors, etc., and for meals. If you look at what people are charged for weddings at hotels, and multiply that by a number of meals, a number of rooms, etc., it adds up very quickly. There is a certain level of opulence expected also, which makes it more difficult. Then you add the cost of the clothing you may need to buy for the various occasions and, well, it is a pricey venture.

[AOII Angel]

AOII will pay for delegates from ACs and collegiate chapters to attend, but each delegate must pay for their own registration fee, which usually runs about $200. The AC will reimburse for travel, but for my AC, which was broke, I didn't expect them to reimburse me for our last convention...then again, I just had a little jaunt down to Tucson.

[DubaiSis]

A convention on a cruise ship can be done and would probably be cheaper than the typical convention, but it's tricky. If you want to charter the whole ship you'd need in the ball park of 2000+ attendees and they'd need to commit probably a year out AT LEAST. If you want to have it on a ship with other people then you have to commit probably even earlier. The other problem is that the ships that do short sailings are not the cream of the crop and sorority conventions (at least the ones I've ever heard of) are at pretty high-prestige hotels.

On the other hand, if you wanted to go on a cruise with your girlfriends (ALWAYS a good idea) I would be GLAD to sell you that vacation.

I still haven't attended a convention. It seems every year I'm either broke, too busy, or my most recent excuse, a 15+ hour flight away.

[als463]

I voted "three" because this July will be my 4th and I am currently doing the planning now. I have been to every convention since I graduated, so far. I'm excited and I love it! It's such a great time!

[Sciencewoman]

A few years ago (January,2009, I believe...they announced it at the 2008 Convention) Gamma Phi Beta did an official group cruise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our foundation. I really wanted to go on that, but I couldn't talk any of my college sisters into it. I do know that they filled the number of spots they had reserved on the ship. It was just for alumnae, and apparently there were quite a few collegians who expressed disappointment that it wasn't open to them, but I haven't heard anything about doing it again.