There are numerous service organizations here at Wake Forest. Ranging from one club helping children in Honduras, to another fighting for social justice in the college scene, there are tons of awesome things to be a part of. The newest addition to this exceptional array of service clubs is the Girl Up organization, founded by two sophomores, Carolina Saca and Melissa Gauthier. I was curious as to find out what exactly this group was all about, so I decided to drop by and check out one of their meetings this past Wednesday.
When I entered, I saw a group of about 20 girls sitting around a table. They were all friendly, and greeted me as soon as I walked in. A seat next to Melissa was available, so I sat down and took out my notebook to start asking my questions.
“So what exactly is this club? I haven’t really heard about it before.” Of course I had to ask the most obvious question which Carolina gladly answered: “Girl Up is a non-profit organization established by the UN foundation. Basically, it targets to help girls in developing nations by providing proper healthcare, offering great education, preventing child marriage and reducing violence.” The club targets the young female population in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Guatemala. It is already present in many high schools nationwide, and has just started to establish itself in several colleges.
“We’re proud to be one Girl Up organizations to have started in a university,” says Melissa. That’s certainly something to be proud of.
I asked other club members about their opinions of the club so far. I was curious why they joined and what they think. Sophomore Kate Jacobsen came forward with her opinions: “I think that this club has given girls a chance to come together to support a common cause. It’s awesome, because us girls are joined together to help other girls. We’ve done so much in a short period of time, and I see a very bright future for this club.”
What exactly has this young club accomplished so far? Well, it has several committees—Advocacy, Fundraising, Awareness, and Artistry—as well as two PR chairs to update their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. Plus, everyone seems to have a good time.
Girl Up members play a name game ice breaker at the start of every meeting
“I think it’s a fun opportunity for us to have innocent fun,” says sophomore Hunter Davis. “We come in and hang out, [we don’t] worry about the pressures of school, and focus on one thing only for 45 minutes once a week. It’s a small commitment, but it’s still worth so much.”
Every meeting begins with a viewing of an informative video of an issue that will be followed up in a discussion. The girls divide into their assigned committees for the remainder of the time. Before everyone is dismissed, the members come together for a final conclusion of the meeting. When I walked in at the start, they were actually playing a name game. “It’s just something we do to get to know each other,” says Carolina. “We always have fun ice breakers during the meetings.”
Girl Up informational poster outside the Pit
Some of you may want to know more about this fun organization. Well, Girl Up actually had an information booth outside the Pit on Tuesday and Thursday this past week. There will also be a Candy gram fundraiser next semester. Each candy cane bought will have a fact about Girl Up and what its role is. Plus, the money will go towards the common cause. For more information about the organization, you can check out the international Girl Up website where you will find more detailed information about its establishment and a list of goals it helps meet.
Are you possibly interested in joining? Unfortunately, there are no more meetings until next semester. For the time being, though, you can check out Girl Up—Wake Forest on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Feel free to contact the club leaders for any questions as well. Anyone can join; so bring your friends as soon as it starts up again next semester. This club is definitely one-of-a-kind, making you a part of a great group of girls working together to help other girls across the world.
*Images from Girl Up WFU Facebook Page