(This is a copy of an email that was sent on October 15th. It contains some important post-event information.)
Cathy and I just got off the phone with each other and we're both experiencing the same emotions! We're overjoyed that the reunion went so smoothly and that so many wonderful friends and sisters were reunited. We're also so sad! We both really don't know what to do with ourselves now that the reunion is not occupying our time! AND...we miss everyone already! Both of us agreed that there were just so many great moments! The foyer of the candle lighting ceremony (with deafening screams of friends being reunited), Kathy W's candle jumping out of the holder during the memorial speech, 120-or-so of us posing for a group photo with our beloved Mark Martin in front of us again-- trying to get us all to be quiet for just a moment (no problem when the photo's about to flash!), Chris Good coming all the way from Iraq, the secret password, handshake and singing after all these years, catching up, seeing everyone's adorable children and wonderful husbands, driving up to the campus and visiting our new sisters, and checking out the site of our future DG home. It's hard to come up with one word to describe it all...perhaps just, "amazing".
The weekend was also a sad reminder that it all had to end, too. As I drove "off into the sunset" on Sunday after the house tour, I saw Pam Collins and Lysa Bodkin Swizer walk by and I waved out my window, "GOODBYE! I LOVE YOU GUYS!" and drove away from the campus. Sorry that it sounds so corny, but tears starting streaming down my face! I really just didn't want it to end and to have to say "goodbye" to the women of Delta Gamma, who are some of the greatest people any one of us would ever want to call friends!
We all agreed that we've got to make this weekend the start of a grand tradition with our chapter. Perhaps we can count on a big San Diego reunion every 10 years?...and then lots of less-structured get-togethers in between. It is painful to admit that the next big reunion will bring some of us as 50-year olds. YIKES! Oh well...let's stay off of that subject.
We know that there were a lot of you who wanted to come but had schedule conflicts (including new babies!). We missed every single one of you and truly hope that you will make a point of staying connected through the website, etc., until we all meet again. All of us who went not only had the benefit of hooking up with friends who we hung out with while we were in college, but we also made so many new friends with DGs who have pledged our chapter over the past two decades.
Cathy and I want to say _*"THANK YOU"*_ again to each of you for making the journey to San Diego for the weekend. The success of the event can only be measured by the smiles on your faces. We hope that the smiles will last for a long time!
PHOTOS
Candids available on line: Colleen Ridenour Martin (Spr' 85) and her husband Mark "Hey Mark!" Martin (who used to run California Candids in San Diego, and who graciously provided all the photography for the weekend) have posted the photos on-line for a limited time on their website at www.partypics.com. Enter this code: DGANCHORS to view and to order. (Thank you Colleen and Mark, and thank you Janice the photographer! Janice was WONDERFUL and it was great to see you both after all these years!)
Group Photo: If you didn't get a chance to place your order for the large group photo that was taken on Friday evening, simply call Colleen at 800-872-7892 and she said she can get credit card info from you over the phone. The large group shot is $20, but $5 of every order is being donated back to the chapter.
Your own personal photos: Any and all personal photos are being requested for the website. Please send your DIGITAL photos only by October 31st via email (or mail your CDs) to lisa.mckenzie@cox.net
and remember to list who is in the picture with you.
Reunion Memory Book In about one month, I will be mailing the memory books to everyone who
attended and paid the $10 registration fee. The memory books will feature photos from the event, and a complete address book for every Epsilon Sigma DG we have in our database.
Website Update:
I'd like to add the names and pledge years to each photo. If you view the photos in regular mode (not in slide show mode), you will see names, descriptions, etc. If you notice that a name is not listed, please email me the photo number and include the names and pledge years.
Cookbook Fund Raiser: Just a reminder -- we have a lot of money to raise toward the building of the new DG house. One of the efforts will be cookbook sales. Suzanne Knott Carnaroli is asking that you
submit your favorite recipes to her no later than November 15th. Books will be sold for $12.50 each. Why not consider purchasing several of these this year as holiday gifts? Send your recipes to Suzanne at: scarnaroli@yahoo.com More information will be made available in the near future as to how to order these. On that subject...if you have ANY special talents that would come in handy for the new house (e.g. interior design) or if you own a business that might be able to contribute to the project (cabinetry, flooring, light fixtures, landscaping, etc.), please send a quick note to Suzanne (who is on House Corp.) and she'll keep in touch with you as the building project gets underway.
San Diego DGs: Are you still singing your favorite DG tunes and sad that you have to put your anchor back in the jewelry box? Fret no more! Write to Monica Jones Hansen (an Epsilon Sigma Alum and SD
Alumnae Chapter President) and get an updated schedule of all the activities taking place in San Diego for DG alums. Monica can be reached at monjoe@cox.net
Your reunion co-chairpersons,
Lisa and Cathy
