Tuesday, February 14, the Women’s center will be hosting a ‘Galentine’s Day’ event in the commuter lounge in collaboration with other campus clubs, including QUEENS, Sister to Sister, Reflections and S.E.L.F. AVI will also be donating food, and each organization will have their own activity.
“We thought it was a good idea to celebrate the relationships you have with other women because that is a big bond we share and it is often something we don’t acknowledge or celebrate,” Jodi Solito, director of the Women’s Center and Pride Center said.
“We have heard a lot of rumbling about people that are excited for the event,” Solito said. This is the first year the event will take place. The idea came from a student worker who thought it would be a fun thing to do, especially with the sad feelings that can sometimes surround the holiday.
The event was inspired by the television show ‘Parks and Recreation,’ which introduced the holiday as a day for women to celebrating the women who empower and support them. “Sometimes people get kind of depressed over Valentine’s day because they don’t have a significant other to celebrate with and this a way to say that ‘You do, because you have these other friendships that we often forget about,’” Solito said.
The Women’s Center will have a Rosie the Riveter photo booth available and ojther organizations may have trivia, encouraging notes or snacks planned. They hope to have this be an annual event in the future.
“It’s not exclusive for females. We have men who would like to celebrate their female friends as well even though their not in a romantic relationship with them,” Ashley Craig, Women’s Center and Pride Center graduate assistant said.
“This is something that anybody can go to. Every organization coming is going to bring their own set of Galentine’s day festivities. Just expect a celebration and a feel-good event,” Craig said.
