July 16, 2013
For Immediate Release
| Seventy-one young girls from the Campbellsville community participated in a recent Girls Day Out at Campbellsville University led by the Baptist Campus Ministry. (Campbellsville University Photo by Rebekah Southwood) |
By Rebekah Southwood, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Campbellsville University's Baptist Campus Ministry hosts many activities during the year and one recent one was Girls Day Out which allowed local youngsters a time of feeling beautiful and being like “princesses.”
Coordinated by women ministry leader Anna Stepp, Girls Day Out brought together 71 girls from the Campbellsville community and 26 volunteers from Campbellsville University to show the importance of inner beauty.
BCM president Kristina Critcher said beauty is an inward appearance and God measures our beauty from the inside, not the outside. The girls ranged from first to fifth grade, and they traveled to four stations, makeup, hair, nails and crafts in the Ransdell Chapel on campus.
Their hair was French braided and colored, and their nails were polished every color of the rainbow. They were given the makeup of a beauty princess and a princess crown to top it all off.
God can use petty things like hair or makeup to further His Kingdom, CU student Audrey Wunderlich said.
Another student Summer Rines said she loved hearing the girls talk. “They were all so excited to be getting dolled up.”
As Jennifer Hatley said, “The Lord works using the smallest of details.”
Stepp said the event originated last year. BCM desired to show elementary age girls their worth is not on the outside or wrapped up in what others believe. “It is about Jesus, who loves them!”
CU student Emily Scott said, “There was one girl who told me not to call her by her name, but to call her Princess because she was a beautiful princess for the day! It was a great experience!”
Student Marissa Rehmet and Scott said they loved being able to share their faith with the next generation. The planning was extensive and important because of the number of children, and Stepp said, “The college volunteers were absolutely amazing.”
Another student Katlin Weeks said, “I was really encouraged by seeing all the girls wanting to find the source of true beauty, Jesus, and just getting to love on them was a blessing!”
“The elementary school girls walked away knowing God loves them and cares about their hearts, and they got to meet amazing examples of college girls living for God. It was an amazing experience to reach out to the community and spread the Gospel,” Stepp said.
The volunteers included CU students: Annie Schakat of Springfield, Ohio; Julie Smith of Horseheads, N.Y.; Nikki Bowman of Lawrenceburg, Ky.; Jordan Johnson of Leitchfield, Ky.; Mariana Sanders of Louisville, Ky.; Audrey Wunderlich of Frankfort, Ky.; Hannah Nunn of Radcliff, Ky.;
Kristin King of Tompkinsville, Ky.; Ashley Newman of Hainesville, Ill.; Sarah Haven of Shelbyville, Ky.; Manique Powell of Elizabethtown, Ky.; Katlin Weeks of Louisville; Courtney Cox of Taylorsville, Ky.; Marissa Rehmet of Independence, Ky.; sisters Emily and Jennifer Hatley of Mayfield, Ky.; Kristina Critcher of Deep Gap, N.C.; Rebekah Southwood of Campbellsville, Ky.;
Summer Rines of Louisville, Ky.; Emily Scott of Eddyville, Ky.; Katie Johnson of Leitchfield, Ky.; Courtney Mills and Barbara Queiroz of Campbellsville, Ky.; and Sarah Morris of North Vernon, Ind.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.