Sisterhood Retreat in Savannah, GA
Writer, Graphics: Savannah T. / Chapter Submitted Photos
At the beginning of January, the sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta made the four and a half-hour drive up to Savannah, Georgia for their sisterhood retreat. Sisterhood retreats allow chapter members to connect with one another and ultimately grow stronger as a sisterhood. The importance of this event was not lost on the sisterhood chair, Emily F., who was in charge of planning the trip and its itinerary. She and her sisters had a memorable day and returned to Tallahassee with a profound renewed sense of sisterhood.
Originally, the sisterhood retreat to Savannah was scheduled to occur in fall, but Alpha Gamm had to push the getaway back due to weather complications. While they already had their hotel reservations from the fall, Emily had to go back to square one, creating a new plan and itinerary in a short period of time. Emily proved she was up for the challenge, and after calling dozens of tour guides and restaurants, she found places and activities that would accommodate all of the women in her chapter. She would eventually find the Riverboat Brunch Cruise that would serve as the restaurant for Alpha Gamm, but was also the highlight of her trip.
“After calling over 10 restaurants and locations, I found a company that did brunch and dinner cruises for large groups. Because we had over 100 sisters in attendance, we were able to book an entire level of the cruise ship to ourselves!” says Emily. “For around 2 hours we had brunch together and explored the ship. We were able to walk around the various levels of the boat after the brunch portion was over. At the top level, there was a narrated tour with the history of Savannah.”
When planning the itinerary, Emily focused on balancing planned activities with free time to explore the city. She recommends for women in charge of their chapters’ respective sisterhood retreats to do the same so members can get the most out of the day. Her personal favorite memory from the trip was from an event she planned including a photo scavenger hunt around the city.
“Me, my Little, and G-little ran around Savannah to take pictures with the items on the list. We filmed Tik Toks and got to see a large bit of the city’s history because of the diversity of items on the list,” Emily explains. “At the end of the challenge, the team who completed the most photo challenges was set to win a prize. I found squirrel plush toys on Amazon for the winners. Our mascot is the squirrel, which is something we embrace, so the teams were very excited to compete for this!”
In the past, the sisterhood retreats for Alpha Gamm had usually taken place at theme parks or resorts. By focusing on the historical aspect of Savannah instead of hotel amenities, sisters were able to get the most out of this bonding experiences. Emily’s hard work paid off, and the retreat was enjoyed by her sisters, who discuss their favorite memories from the trip below.
“Honestly this retreat was really important to me as I was a graduating senior and was my last retreat during my collegiate sorority years,” says Alexis V. “My favorite memory would probably be the panel, it’s a bonding activity that we do at the end of one of our nights where sisters can send in anonymous questions, where seniors get to give last-minute advice to newer members and overall we as a sisterhood bond the most. It’s the tradition that we have done every retreat we have where no matter how new or old you are in the chapter you feel like you belong and like family.”
“My favorite memory from our retreat was going on a brunch cruise. We had the bottom floor of the boat reserved for ourselves and this made it really easy to mingle and get to know my sister's better,” says Azshur C. “Not only did we get to hang out and chat but all over the boat we were helping each other take photos that we still look back at today. Emily planned such an amazing retreat and I came out of it knowing more of my sister's better and wishing I could go back.”
“My favorite memory from the Savannah, GA sisterhood retreat was an awesome scavenger hunt that was set up by Emily! It really gave you a way to hit all the spots in town while working together with sisters,” says Bailey H. “Spending time in my randomized group really helped me get to know sisters I don’t normally hang out with better, and those connections are still strong today.”
“One afternoon in Savannah we were set loose in the city to do a photo scavenger hunt. That was probably the best way to get the most out of the gorgeous city we were staying in,” says Lauren J. “The laughs that were shared between my sisters and I, as we put our creative and funny twists on each photo will always be a cherished memory. As a person who loves exploring new and unfamiliar places, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than my sisters to enjoy it with!”
“There’s so many things to see & do in Savannah. My favorite memory from Alpha Gam’s Savannah sisterhood retreat was going on a riverboat with all of my sisters,” says Jessica B. “We all got to eat lunch together while cruising on the river. After lunch we were able to get so many incredible pictures that have been getting through quarantine without any of my sisters. This trip made me develop connections with the newer pc’s & also get to cherish the last moments with the seniors who graduated this semester.”