Crown Connections

Crown Connections augments basic programming with special-interest options. Invite the general membership, but expect a core group to enjoy these specific programs. This is a great way to attract targeted groups of alumnae to your chapter and offer something new to your current membership!

Your VP of Programming can coordinate these groups, or consider appointing a committee chair for each special-interest activity. The following are just a few Crown Connection ideas. If you come up with other ideas, please notify me (kellyw9@hotmail.com) so we can share them with other chapters.

Loyalty Link
The Loyalty Link idea originated in Zeta Tau Alpha several years ago to serve recently graduated alumnae. It provides programming for women that age and caters to their interests. Ask a young alumna to steer this programming.

Book Club
Read the latest novel and get together for some intellectual sisterhood. Of course, this can include good food, drink and great conversation. List the book selection on your Web site or newsletter. Members can take turns hosting the meeting. Meetings can be in homes, coffee houses, bookstores, etc. Have next month's hostess choose her month's book. For example, February's hostess would announce her selection at the January meeting.

Self-Indulgent Sisters Club (SIS)
For sisters who need a break from the day-to-day, join the SIS group for shopping, lunch a movie or spa treatment. Always just for fun!

Culture Club
Life is a Cabaret... and sometimes a cabernet! Explore you area's cultural events: the museum, an art exhibit, a gourmet food and beverage tasting, a play, and opera, or a concert in the park. You might even make a road trip of it to find the desired culture, and that in itself is fun!

Alum Chums
These sisters foster one-on-one relationships with members, new members or graduating seniors to enrich their ZTA experience and demonstrate that ZTA is forever. Work with the collegiate chapter's general advisor or new member advisor to connect with collegians.

ZTA All-Stars
Want to get a work out and spend time with your sisters? Form a sports team, such as softball or soccer. Form a running group to start training for a Komen Race for the Cure near you.

These are but a few examples of the sub-groups you can form. The great thing is that you can tailor your crown connections to meet the needs of your membership.

How Alumnae Help With Collegiate Recruitment

Collegiate recruitment is the lifeblood of Zeta Tau Alpha, and alumnae play an important role in that recruitment. The recruitment system depends on the submission of Membership Information Sheets to collegiate chapters. All alumnae have the responsibility to submit a Membership Information Sheet (MIS) on any potential new member who exhibits the qualities expected of ZTA members.

Many of our collegiate chapters start recruitment in just a few weeks. To find recruitment start dates for ZTA chapters, go to www.zetataualpha.org > Chapters > Recruitment.

Encourage members of your alumnae group to:

• Submit an MIS to the ZTA chapter on the campus where the potential new member attends school. The names and addresses of the alumnae who receive MIS forms for each chapter are listed in the spring issue of Themis and can be found online with the MIS form. (Note: you will need a ZTA username and password to access this information. If you do not have one, follow the instructions for "Need to Create An Account.")
• Meet the daughters of friends and neighbors.
• Talk about ZTA to young women and show your pride, not just the week before high school graduation, but years before.
• Send voluntary references on women from the community.

For more information on where to find MIS forms and how to complete them or where to send them, please contact me or Kori Voorhees, State Reference Chair - Area III.