What do you want to see?

[FuzzieAlum]

There are a lot of folks in my alum group who are only minimally interested in helping out the undergrads. Obviously, supporting the undergrads is great, but I think that long-term to keep alums involved they need to get more out of the sorority than that - otherwise they feel like they're giving and giving and never receiving. You tend to feel real old real fast watching 21 recede farther away from you.

I'm my group's philanthropy chair, so guess what kind of events I arrange. The trick is to find events women from 23 to 83 want to do. Very physical events (walks, for example) don't go over very well. Brunch at the Ronald McDonald house was a huge hit. It takes only a few women, you can see results right away, and you don't all have to be gourmet chefs. We're also going to be adopting a family this Christmas.

We also do stuff that is purely social, such as our Christmas party and gift exchange. You see alums here you never see elsewhere. Also, alums who are more involved with the collegiates (corp board or advisors) come out for this, whereas normally they don't interact much with the alum board. Occasionally, we'll tour Safeco field, have a potluck, etc.

Some things combine service/undergrads/alums. Every year we have Picklemix at the chapter house. It's a chance to see the house and the members and interact with alums, and to bid on fun stuff that raises money for chapter scholarships. There's also a Panhellenic auction that does essentially the same thing for all of UW's sororities.

Then of course there is founders day. While the undergrads attend it, it's not "for" them but for everyone. It's maybe the only time some of us get to reflect on what AXD means and why we are sorority members. Plus we recognize Order of the Rose (50 year member) recipients, which is always great. (You hear a lot of, "Look at the cute little old ladies!") The best part is saying the symphony and singing our songs, because the ladies of Nu chapter put pauses in different places than the rest of us, and they use some different words in songs. A gal from Embry-Riddle (Florida) and I were looking at each other in complete confusion the first time we sang some of those songs!

As DB&G said, there are so many informal things we do, too. Just getting to know other alums opens up opportunities for help with jobs, moving, etc.