The 2012 Convention thread: Did your group have one? Did you go? Share!

[KSUViolet06]

So, since attending my first one in 2010, I have seriously loved hearing about other people's experiences with their own org's Convention/Conclave/etc. (although it's a slight bummer as we are triennial, so I have a bit of a wait for my next one!)

Did your org have one this year?

Where?

How was it? Fave part?

[DreamfulSpirit]

I went to Omega Phi Alpha's! It was in Salt Lake City! It's always a blast, and always enjoy meeting soooo many new sisters!! To be honest, I think that's my favorite part: getting to meet new sisters, and seeing ones I've met in the past but only get to see at Convention since we live all over! I got to be an alumnae voting delegate this year too!

Looking forward to OPA's Convention next year...in Pittsburgh!!!

[AGDee]

Ours was in St. Louis. DoctorD, Benzgirl, agzg and I were all in attendance.

It was great I loved rooming with agzg, connecting with sisters from all over the country who I only get to see at Convention. Someone I nominated received Alpha Gamma Delta's Distinguished Citizen Award (3-5 awarded at each Convention) for her initiative in founding the Detroit Area Diaper Bank non-profit organization. That was pretty amazing. DoctorD and I both received a big deal award that we've both been working toward for a very long time. I always love ritual with 600+ women. I love connecting with the women from the chapters I oversee.

I also loved seeing it through agzg's "first time at Convention" eyes. It was fun to introduce her to lots of people!

More than anything, I love how it rejuvenates my enthusiasm and motivation.

[Titchou]

Ours was in Indianapolis. Our new president lives there and got an Indy racing car with all our branding on it placed in the lobby area! Too cool! My fave part was during chapter roll call when my chapter of initiation, after being gone for 34 years, was called and when the new chapter's president carried the DG flag into the PH Luncheon . Great feeling! It was my 14th Convention and the first time I ever heard "Beta Psi" chapter at roll call.

[WhiteRose1912]

We had our centennial this year, back in Ann Arbor. It was my very first Convention. I roomed with a couple undergrads from one of our Florida chapters, and TPA85, the person I can point to as the reason I joined Theta Phi in the first place. I'm pretty sure we made the undergrads crazy.

I'm a "social introvert" and it fell during probably the most tumultuous part of an already very tumultuous year for me, so I was worried about being overwhelmed. I opted to skip the business meetings to recharge my batteries and it wound up being perfect. By the end of the week, I was sad to have to pack up and leave. I wanted to keep the party going!

This year, though our Links to the Future campaign, we set up a mobile archive which was on display for the first time at Convention. It was definitely a highlight for me. My favorite part was getting to look at the badges from 1912-1931, which was before we standardized it to yellow gold with 19 pearls. Some of them were absolutely beautiful. Two of the founders' badges were on display, and they were yellow gold with 19 sapphires.

Another highlight was the bestowing of the guard of honor, our highest award for an initiated member. For our 100th year, the guard was given to Amelia McSweeney, the cornerstone of our little founding family. Our guards are all numbered, in order, but her guard was numbered 0, so that she would be at the beginning of the order, where she belonged. The ceremony was very emotional. There wasn't a dry eye in the house!

Songfest was great, too, of course. That goes without saying.



I think I could gush about Convention for hours.

[TPA85]

Originally Posted by WhiteRose1912

We had our centennial this year, back in Ann Arbor. It was my very first Convention. I roomed with a couple undergrads from one of our Florida chapters, and TPA85, the person I can point to as the reason I joined Theta Phi in the first place. I'm pretty sure we made the undergrads crazy.

My favorite things about convention were:
-The tour of Ann Arbor when we got to place white roses on the graves of some of our Founders. It was especially awesome because we had some decendants in attendance and they were able to tell us things about the family that aren't just "textbook knowledge" about our Founders. We also got to visit the original house in this picture of the Founders:

It has been turned into a triplex and people live there so we weren't able to go in but many chapters took pictures in front of it.



- SONGFEST! If we just had a weeklong songfest, I'd go. The energy in the room was awesome and it was nice to just have fun with everyone.

[NutBrnHair]

Convention 2012 was amazing. After attending 15 of them, I can honestly say that they just get better every time!

Highlights for me...

• Our first Make-a-Wish child was with us 10 years after her wish was granted at Convention 2002
• Model Initiation performed beautifully by Mu Chapter (Cal-Berkeley)
• Meeting xo_kathy after being friends on GreekChat for 8 years
• Governing Council's video of "Call Me Maybe" at Revelry
• Anna Funderburk Buckner, Alpha Beta (Auburn) being elected S.T.B.
• Jane Sutton, NPC Chair and Alpha Xi Delta, being a good sport as we sang the "Chi O Hokey Pokey"
• Dent Partee, 95-yr-old alumna winning a Lifetime Service Award
• Current G.H.s escorting Former Council members at the President's Banquet
• Jean Mrasek being honored
• Unbelievably "spot-on" keynote by Amazing Race winner and Chi O Sister Cindy Chiang Halvorsen
• Nancy Utley Jacobs, Woman of Achievement, saying, "Congratulations to all us women who do way too much, but do it smashingly well."
• The Foundation raising over $50K at the Owl Tree
• Beth Chapman's crazy, fun, high tech Revelry
• Songs from the "PersepheTones" a.k.a. the Convention Chorus
• Having lunch with the delegates from my initiating chapter when they were given the Award of Achievement
• Floating down the Lazy River at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge the day after Convention ended!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

So, since attending my first one in 2010, I have seriously loved hearing about other people's experiences with their own org's Convention/Conclave/etc. (although it's a slight bummer as we are triennial, so I have a bit of a wait for my next one!)

Ours is triennial too, but we had it last month in Orlando. It set the record for turnout. Alas, I could not be one of the ones helping set that record. But thanks to facebook, YouTube and other social media, I was able to follow a lot of it from home.

Highlights included:

• The adoption of a complete reworking of our Constitution and General Regulations (now Bylaws).
• The debut of the new edition of the probationary member manual, which is twice as long as the last edition and is full of lots more historical info.
• The inauguration of a three-phase, $2 million fund drive for the renovation of buildings at our headquarters, Lyrecrest, as well as the building of a new retreat center there and, eventually, a theater. Over $130K was pledged at Convention.
• The donation of Sinfonia challenge coins for distribution to Sinfonian servicemen and vets. These were donated by the parents of Christopher Patterson, a brother who was killed in Afghanistan. A scholarship to honor him and other Sinfonian veterans was also announced.
• The unveiling of something I have wished for for years -- recognition pins (and an accompanying ceremony) for 10-, 25- and 50-year alumni. The pins are really cool.
• Lots of good music, of course.

By all accounts it was a great time.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I always love ritual with 600+ women.

THIS is by far the best part of Convention for me. I was blown away, especially as it is performed by our Exec Council.