On Valentine’s Day, while a crowd formed around Sister Cindy at the Green, others were gathered in the Osprey Plaza for the Love Fest to kick off the first day of Love Week at UNF.

OspreyPERCH counselors and interns redirected some of the attention from Sister Cindy to the Love Fest activities to combat some of the hateful speech.

On Monday, six tables were set up under a 26-foot rainbow arch outside of the Student Union. The booths featured some UNF organizations and some external support programs: the UNF LGBTQ Center, the OspreyPERCH program, the Victim Advocacy Program, and the Women’s Center were joined by representatives from Hubbard House, a domestic violence help and support center and Planned Parenthood, a reproductive rights and healthcare facility. 

There was plenty to do during Love Fest that had the plaza bustling with activity. Each table offered a unique experience, ranging from freebies to Valentine’s Day cards to volunteer opportunities to even providing visitors with contact to reach 24/7 support hotlines. Students were able to walk away with affirmations from an affirmation jar, pride flags, pins and keychains, stickers, and, of course, candy. Students also had the chance to twirl weighted spin flags and dance with some of the PERCH counselors.

Those that stopped by the LGBTQ Center’s table could make personalized Valentine’s Day cards for someone they know, while the Victim Advocacy Program asked people to sign a giant card for crisis victims.

Each table had a way to sign up for newsletters or receive information about its program’s purpose and additional resources through pamphlets, flyers, or scannable QR codes.

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