By AMANDA CLARKE Staff Writer
Project LOVE, an event dedicated to loving yourself and created by Western student Karlie Holmgren and sponsored by Student Leadership and Activities, was in the Werner University Center Feb. 9 to Feb. 11. There was a booth in the WUC for the three days, manned by volunteers and Holmgren herself.
Project LOVE showed variety each day with a different event at the booth. On the first day, students were able to write sticky notes with words of encouragement for their homes. The following day, there was an opportunity to take photos in a photo booth. The final day, students could take slips to write compliments for their friends and loved ones.
“Each day we promoted simple ideas — whether it was writing positive notes about yourself around your house, taking a picture to capture your own beauty, or passing out compliments to family, friends or random people,” Holmgren said.
Holmgren said she hoped to reach out to different groups of people walking through the WUC. She said February had always been a time to celebrate love for another person.
The purpose of the event was to help remind people to love themselves. Because media typically defines beauty and love for people, it can sometimes be difficult for someone to see their own beauty and to love themselves.
“It is an empowering message,” said Janessa Rook, a junior public health major.
Jordyn Ducotey, a junior communication studies major also attended the event.
“When those impractical expectations are not met, many people fail to see their beauty,” Ducotey said. “This event reminded people that they are beautiful and that loving yourself is important.”
Holmgren also said that Project LOVE was working toward trying to show that beauty should be defined in your own terms.
“Your own individual beauty is why you should love yourself,” Holmgren said.
Holmgren said she hopes that Project LOVE “affected people on campus by simply reminding people they are worthy of their own love.”
“Sometimes, all we need is a reminder,” said Holmgren. “that’s what Project LOVE was there for.”
