Irish Belles spend a girls night out u ND, SMC women bond at `spa night' at LaFortune
By ANNELIESE WOOLFORD
Saint Mary's Editor
Saint Mary's and Notre Dame women found common ground Friday night at the second annual Irish Belles Night Out.
The freshman and sophomore class boards from both schools organized the event.
"The purpose of the event was to bring the two groups of women together to work through stereotypes, because there's been animosity there in the past," said Sarah Brown, Saint Mary's student body vice president. "I think it's so important to show that we have a lot more similarities than differences."
Over 100 students from both campuses attended this year's Irish Belles Night Out on the second floor of LaFortune.
In addition to complimentary hairstyling and facials, representatives from Mary Kay Cosmetics added to Friday's theme of "spa night" by allowing students to sample a variety of their products.
Saint Mary's freshmen Anna Bauer and Anna Hickner won gift certificates for a free haircut at Atria and Michael and Co. salons.
Included Friday were performances by Notre Dame senior Zack Burkhart and freshman Tom Schreck, regular performers at the AcoustiCafé, and The Undertones, a male a cappella group also from Notre Dame.
Tables were set up advocating various charity events in which students can participate. Jill Funnell, a Saint Mary's freshman, sold pink breast cancer awareness ribbons for $1 each to raise money for her participation in May's Avon Breast Cancer Walk.
Funnell raised $64 Friday night.
"[Irish Belles Night Out] went really well and we got some good feedback," Brown said. "I think students are interested in doing it again."
Friday built on the success of last year's Irish Belles Night Out, headed by the former sophomore class board and Saint Mary's student body president Elizabeth Jablonski-Diehl.
Because last year's event took place in Saint Mary's Regina Hall and this year's occurred in LaFortune, Brown anticipates it will switch campuses from year to year.
"We plan to bring it back to Saint Mary's next year to get a variety of settings," she said.
All News Stories for Monday, April 7, 2003
