Students sip on mocktails while doing art activities

Troy’s M.I.S.S. Elite Society and Sparkle Mentoring Club partnered up to put on a Mocktails and Paint Night event in Patterson 105 last Wednesday. 

There were two stations where students could choose to get supplies to create a vision board for this year and next year or other art supplies for painting activities. Music played in the background as students worked on their pieces while sipping on fun drinks.  

“I found on Pinterest a love bird singing some hearts or whatever on a tree branch, so it just stuck out to me and reminds me of myself,” said Gabby Gandy, a freshman exercise physiology major from Troy, Alabama, who is a M.I.S.S. Elite member. “The mocktail is really good, and I didn’t know what to get at first, but they hooked me up. 

“These types of events just give people a good time to relax and leave everything at home or in the dorm and just come and have fun.” 

Other artworks that students created on their canvases included animals, flowers, patterns, shadings and words of affirmation. When it came to the vision boards, students cut out words and pictures that displayed a bright future ahead. 

“I painted a ‘God is Good’ canvas because God is good all the time, and He's been there for me even when I've been down,” said Jakyrria Bradford, a freshman nursing major from Marion, Alabama, who is a member of Sparkle. “This allows us to bond with each other and just shows us that we're not alone on this campus and in this college experience.” 

This event was part of the organizations’ Pink Out Week in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Other activities the organizations put on included a Bake Sale, Spooky Potluck and seminars.  

All of the donations and money raised from the Bake Sale will go towards Breast Cancer Awareness.  

“This means so much to me because most of my family members do have cancer, and I wanted to make a way to give back to the cancer society at this moment,” said M.I.S.S. Elite Society Event Coordinator Amari Bryant, who is a sophomore hospitality tourism major and event management minor from Gadsden, Alabama. “I have a lot that I go through with cancer and stuff, as well, so I just feel like it was a need for me to give back. 

“My dad passed away last year from pancreatic cancer. My stepmom has cancer, but she's in remission right now, so I just want to give awareness to everybody on campus that it's not just Breast Cancer Awareness Month; it's a variety of cancers, as well.” 

To stay up to date on future events, visit @misselitesociety and @troysparkle on Instagram.