Reflecting on Convention

A week ago today many of us were traveling to St. Louis. What an experience Convention was! Every year the educational programming seems to get better and better. This year was no exception. The resources now available to chapters is fantastic, and the sessions were full of great tips and tools.

I was also struck on our final day by the depth and strength of Chi Omega's leadership. We will so miss Sister Jean Mrasek as our SH. What a loyal and talented leader she has been. And at the same time, we have a wonderful new Governing Council ready to take the helm. How fortunate we are to have such faithful leaders.

Finally, as always the time spent with sisters was so valuable. In addition to our chapter leaders, we had a member of our house corporation and the president of our local alumnae group. It was such a pleasure to experience this together and get somewhat outside our specific roles to relate as sisters. We bonded and will be much better as we work together in the future for it.

Take care sisters!

Looking Back

As we have been home from Convention for a few days now I reminisce about reuniting with old friends, connecting with new friends, and seeing the impact of Chi Omega on so many lives. My wish for us as we return to the "real world" is that we hold dear to our hearts all of the things that we learned and the friendships that we made as we remember how much Chi Omega has given each and every one of us. My first Convention experience has come to an end and I already cannot wait for Convention 2010...Orlando here we come!

What is Convention All About?

During the President's Award Banquet on the last night of Convention, we were able to re-live the past four days through a slide show of over 200 photos that reminded us what Sisterhood in Chi Omega is all about . . .

• Hugs between two sisters who haven't seen each other in over 20 years.
• A Chance encounter with an advisor who is the sole reason you are still connected to Chi O.
• A Smile and warm "hello" that you received from a sister you have never even met.
• Friendships made between women of all generations and across the country.
• The realization that Chi Omega is truly for a LIFETIME!

You will be able to view this video soon on Chi Omega's EveryDay website under Chi O Favorites > Videos and Podcasts.

...We'll remember you!

The Governing Council members, current and past, stood proudly on the 3rd level balcony as the entire convention delegation united in a serenade of traditional Chi Omega songs. As we ended the serenade with Shades, I felt goosebumps rise on my arms. It was truly a touching moment. I felt a connection to every sister in that room. What a wonderful way to end Convention!

Shakin' and Movin'

rev·el·ry
n. pl. rev·el·ries
Boisterous merrymaking.

Indeed, there was plenty of boisterous merrymaking at tonight's 100th anniversary of Chi Omega's revelry tradition. With skits and songs ranging from a Chi Omega version of "Ice Ice Baby" to the Governing Council's dance off, there was plenty to cheer and laugh about. This was by far my favorite part of the day. It was really refreshing to just kick back in blue jeans and a t-shirt, eat a burger, and share quite a few laughs with my sisters.

Another highlight from the day was the Make-A-Wish luncheon. To hear that one of our sister's, Holly Stout from the University of South Carolina, had been so deeply touched by the work of Make-A-Wish was incredibly moving. Holly spoke about the difficult times that her family faced when her 12 year old sister, Hope, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She descirbed that Hope's wish was to be able to grant the other 155 wishes of ill children in the Charlotte area. Hope's wish was granted after a series of major fundraising efforts and her legacy and story have continued to inspire the Charlotte community to support Make-A-Wish. I can't wait to go back and the share the Stout family's story with my chapter to encourage them to continue contributing their energy and time to Make-A-Wish. Chi Omega is truly making a difference!

Make-A-Wish... Making A Difference!

What an inspiring program today at our Make-A-Wish Luncheon. Sister Holly Stout shared her heartfelt message about her family's journey with their beloved Hope and Make-A-Wish. I felt privileged to to listen.

And every little bit helps, sisters. Let's get out and give of our time and pocket books to support a wish!

We Invite you to Connect!

Seeing our chapter delegates learn how to utilize their Cardinal Cabinets effectively has been long waiting! It was exciting to see our members learn how to engage their members into chapter programming. I really believe that our Cardinal Cabinets are another amazing thing that sets us apart from other organizations as ALL of our members are connected directly to the programming of the chapter. What could be better then every member of Chi Omega getting the opportunity to learn life and leadership skills through their chapter experience?

173 and Counting

Most memorable moment...The G.H. Parade! Hearing everything that our chapters have accomplished across the nation was impressive and inspiring. Seeing each G.H. represent her chapter so proudly gave me chills watching as 173 chapters presented themselves. Also, with so many colonizations these last two years I cannot wait to see how many chapters we have at Convention 2010!

Walking in Dr. Richardson's Footsteps

What fun the Saturday was! The sessions, the Panhellenic Luncheon, the beautiful model initiation (Go Lambda!). One of my first stops during down time is always the archives, so I made a stop early in the day.

Imagine my delight when my fellow advisor Tammy Eckart (pictured) shared that as a dentist she did in fact try once to cast a badge out of detal gold. Ultimately she decided that ordering one is a better idea, but what fun. It must run in her Chi Omega genes!

Flourishing in St. Louis!

What an exciting 2 days it has been!! With the energetic kick-off dinner last night and a day full of celebration and cooperation, the 2008 Chi Omega Convention has been unbelievable. The day started off with the G.H. Parade and Chapter Roll Call. It was so inspiring to see each chapter's hard work and accomplishments recognized and honored. I felt so proud to represent my chapter by carrying Epsilon Lambda's flag. Throughout the afternoon and evening, we were all touched and inspired by the words of the incredible speakers. Each speaker encouraged us, as sisters, to find passion in our lives, step up as leaders on our campuses and in our communities, and embrace the impact that Chi Omega can have on our lives. I've never felt more connected and motivated by my sisters!

And, of course, there has been plenty of fun and revelry! Our fun captain has added a little kick of humor at each meal and our baseball-themed dinner, "A League of Our Own", was full of spirit and laughs as the entire convention cheerfully waved our Chi Omega team penants in the air. I can't wait to see what the next 2 days have in store!