Why I Attend SAGA Convention...

Today SAGA member Lisa Hartranft tells us why she attends SAGA Convention:

Every spring when the convention brochure comes I flip through it and there is sometimes no class that strikes my fancy so I think that maybe I will skip convention that year.  Who am I trying to kid; of course, I will go to convention, if not for the classes (which I do always enjoy) then to see my friends. 

I have been a member of SAGA since 1987 and have been to twenty-five or so conventions and always had a great time.  I have gone to a couple where I didn’t know anyone but met wonderful women and always had lots of fun.  Over the past many years, I have made some delightful friends who are basically what convention is about for me.  I met Karen through a member in my old chapter in Virginia. I met Shelly at the St. Louis convention and joined her chapter in the Chicago area, then met Charlotte and Sande at the next convention with Shelly.  They introduced me to Cea and Jane.  I do not remember when Judith came into the group but she brought Rowena in with her. In the past few years I have been rooming with Carol and now she is one of the gang.

I have friends from four states and two foreign countries.  We bring ‘Oh Boys’ to each other every year, celebrate significant birthdays and just have a fantastic time together.  For many years I have helped Karen with baskets and was a runner and got to meet lots of happy winners and members with baskets.  One of the best parts is meeting Judith and going down to Australia for two visits in the past few years and looking forward to a third trip this fall.  I am hoping to see Rowena this summer on a trip with my daughter to England.  Karen kindly put my daughter up for a year in her home while Megan was doing a pharmacy rotation in North Carolina. 

Though I may only see these special friends once or twice a year, they are a huge part of my life in general and with SAGA.

 

So, do you have a SAGA to tell abuout your Convention experiences? Let us know, contact me at saganews@smocking.org You could be our next guest blog post!