Everything I Know, I Learned While Planning a Convention or a Conference
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lexibility is the name of the game in planning a conference or convention,” according to Rita Confer, SC president. Linda Menchetti, NY president, agrees with her. Her message to planners is, “Be flexible.” “It takes a village to make a conference happen,” said Diane Best, IVP SWR, speaking of the Northwest-Southwest conference in Hawaii. “That village,” she says, “needs to work together as there are a lot of details to work out and compromises to be made.” Diana Ogul, MD President, says she learned that “it is important to seek advice, ask for help, listen to others, try new ideas and laugh a lot.” As Barbara Nore, AK president advises, “Work together, listen to others, compromise and come up with a plan that works for all.” Linda Jones, OR president, said, “It is important to delegate and to use the strengths of the various sisters.” Kathy Roberts, AR president’s advice to planners is, “Learn to delegate. You are not a one woman team.” The meeting planners agree with Jeanne Chang, HI president, that “it was a challenge deciding whether it would be a virtual or in-person convention.” Puerto Rico President Maria Plaza agreed. “Planning one day at a time and taking risks’’ was a challenge to meet and overcome. “COVID has changed the world around us, though these days we have come to realize that we need to be flexible and creative when we plan our events,” said Joyce McAloon, IVP NER.
Planners with the health and safety of the members in mind had Plan B’s in place if changes needed to be made. Many states offered hybrid meetings. “Sisters have found creative ways to ‘beat’ COVID through technology and program activities,” said Pat Hardin, WV president. “We are a resilient group,” said Tiffany Karnes, ME president. All the planners agree on when planning a convention should start. Rebecca Ayers, IL president says, “Plan early, confirm and keep at it.” Ann Kay, MI president, warns, “If you can avoid it, do not plan two years ahead of schedule. Many things can change in those two years.” Linda Shaw, CT president, discovered that it was important to make “lists, lists and more lists.” Julie Correro, MS president, reminds planners, “If you wait until everything is perfect and your ducks are in a row, nothing will ever take place. Just do it.” Jennie Johnson, IA President, added, “I think one can never start too early, and if you do start early, give those involved multiple reminders and confirmations.” Nancy Martinez, AZ president, suggested, “Start planning your state convention the day after you are installed as state president.” Julie Brown, KY president, summed up the planning experience, “Most importantly, we kept in mind that a convention is meant to be fun and a celebration of sisterhood." Information for this article was provided by Judy Ganzert, Immediate Past International President.
A Time to Remember, continued from pg. 10 Membership initiated by board members Betty Houston and Katherine Stafford was not so much about increasing numbers as it was about being selective about who should receive an invitation to join. That made Alpha Delta Kappa all the more special.” During Ruth’s biennium, several new things came onto the horizon: Jan Estell was introduced as the new executive administrator for the Kansas City Headquarters; the Agnes Shipman Robertson Memorial Scholarship was established and awarded at the University of Missouri Conservatory of Music, endowed by AΔK; the first regional mini-scholarships were awarded; the Pediatric AIDS Foundation became the second International Altruistic Project; and October was set as Alpha Delta Kappa Month by vote of convention delegates in Nashville. A∆K was just beginning to work on fraternity education, Ruth remembered. “We were more than a sorority or a social club. We created scholarships and reached out to other countries to expand our membership.” Committees worked to spread the word about Alpha Delta Kappa, which then had a
growing membership of 57,263 women. Asked if she felt grand because of the title of her office, Ruth said, “I loved every minute of everything I did, but I think that ‘Grand’ title distanced us from members and made us seem untouchable. I didn’t have that attitude.” Ruth encouraged International leaders to get away from the head table and spend time with members, talking to them and asking for their thoughts on how Alpha Delta Kappa could be made better. “People were afraid of the high mucky mucks. That sort of disappeared during my biennium. My daughter jokes that it would take us 20 hours to get back to our room because there were so many people along the way who wanted to say hello. Ruth worked to dissolve barriers as an International leader. The biennium that brought a focus on membership also brought a new level of approachability, accessibility and interest in increasing connections among members. That was Ruth Walsh’s legacy, spreading her sunshine wherever she went. “I was sorry when my office was over, but I also thought, ‘What more could I have asked for ever? My cup runneth over.’”
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