– Erin L Givens
***The writer is enrolled in Comm 240 News Reporting.***
A group of five Communication Studies students will be hosting activities called Operation BeYOUtiful, a self awareness campaign, on Wednesday, April 9, and Friday, April 11, in the Memorial Union, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Kelcie Hamilton, North Platte, Neb., senior, is the member of the group who proposed Operation BeYOUtiful for the seniors’ service learning project in Comm 490 Issues and Applications in Communication.
“It’s an initiative to reduce, or stop, the fat talk or the negative self talk. It targets women with eating disorders or who have a tendency for eating disorders,” Hamilton said.
Operation Beautiful is a blog run by Caitlin Boyle at www.operationbeautiful.com/. The campaign’s mission is to post anonymous notes in public places for other people to find. The point is to let every woman know that she is beautiful no matter what size she is.
The COMM 490 group is taking the idea from the blog and expanding on it. Hamilton said the group wanted to encompass all women and not leave anyone out.
“Early in the week we will be putting sticky notes up in the Union and Rarick, and then on Wednesday and Friday we are going to be selling T-shirts we designed, and all the proceeds will go to Options here in Hays,” said Christina Smith, Salina senior.
Options provides a shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children. According to its website, “The mission of Options is to empower individuals who experience domestic, interpersonal, or stalking violence through individual support while educating communities to identify and confront the causes of violence in society.”
The T-shirts the group will be selling were designed by member Ali George, Tonganoxie senior, and were donated by Hays Tees. Shirts will be sold for $10.
Group member Victoria Gano, Wakeeney senior, said, “Hopefully it will be something new that can be more of a traditional thing every year.”
Group members agreed this is a cause close to their hearts.
“At the end of the day, we are all excited for the project because we are all advocates for self awareness,” said group member Ashley Anderson, Kansas City, Kan., senior.
On Friday, April 11, the group will have a photo booth set up in the Union where participants will be able to write a message on a board and take a picture. The group would like the pictures posted via Twitter and Instagram using #operationbeYOUtiful.
This day is not just for women, the group emphasized. Men are encouraged to give a shout out to the beautiful women in their lives.