By Sarah Burton
Tomorrow, Nov. 19, starting at 1:00 p.m., Gillette will host their annual Gillette Thanksgiving. For the first time since COVID, the event will be held in Gillette Hall, meaningall the Gillette residents are welcome to attend in their home.
The event will begin with Thanksgiving ‘dinner’ and will go for around an hour or so, after which all the girls are invited to change into sweats or pajamas, to come back later and play games, eat pie, and enjoy their own rendition of the National Dog Show.
In an interview with Raegan Zelaya, the Gillette Resident Director, she laid out the event in great detail with matching enthusiasm. “Dress code for the event is awkward family photos… to lean into not only coming together to have really special times, but really crazy times… because sometimes you just have to lean into the awkward.”
Zelaya has added a multitude of personal touches to the event, in hopes of drawing more girls in and adding to the already existing community in Gillette.
She said, “we have been dreaming about ways to make it super fun and relationally intentional, but also bringing in some fun pieces like different traditions people have.” She related the events planned to family members napping on the couch after dinner and all the cousins getting a chance to hang out.
She noted excitement for the community of women, as this is the first year Houghton University has had only one girls dormitory.
She believes “this event really aligns with the culture we’ve been trying to establish this year.” One main point of the event is “coming together in unity in one community of women is, and being able to come together, take time, and reflect, and be grateful for the community we have so far… and how to pursue that.”
Julia Collins, a freshman, also stated enthusiasm for the event. She exclaimed happily that the event would take place in GilletteHall, seemingly having heard from upperclassmen how the event had taken place in the KPAC during COVID-19.
She remarked on the community aspect of the event, saying it will be a lot of fun for the community to come together. In her own words, what she is most looking forward to is “seeing a bunch of people I know and celebrating with them that we’re thankful for our lives.”
Rachel Domaracki, a senior, is also looking forward to the event, as it will be the last one she gets to participate in before graduating. Having gone to the event in past years, she is always looking forward to having a time to “give thanks and celebrate all of the wonderful friends I have in Gillette.”
She is also looking forward to eating good food with her good friends, stating how important it is to engage in a greater community over a plate full of food in the building that unites them all.
Gillette Thanksgiving is an event that Gillette residents often look forward to with anticipation. This year especially, with the new changes of residential living, the Gilladies are ecstatic and ready to celebrate their thankfulness in community. ★
