SAGU men show that chivalry isn't dead

Waxahachie, TX – November 18, 2011 – Fresh Friday is a new movement on the Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) campus. Its purpose is to promote chivalry among male students.

Men from Guynes Hall wear formal dress attire and surprise young ladies with acts of kindness like opening doors, taking out their trash, and handing out flowers. Residential Assistant (RA) Arnie Cazares says, “We want to make the ladies feel special. They might have had a really bad day, but what better way to make their day better than with flowers?”

Guynes Hall residents Cazares, Kevin Griffin and Eleazar Garza were the first to propose Fresh Friday, initially a day for men to dress nicely. Fresh Friday soon became a day to encourage chivalrous behavior. Participation expanded from five participants on the first day to a total of approximately 25 participants weekly. Students from other dormitories are beginning to participate, and many ladies now wear dresses on Fridays to show support.

Fresh Friday has been noticed by SAGU President Kermit Bridges, who honored the day by wearing a suit and giving flowers to his wife Jan Bridges on stage during chapel service. He says, “The men of the Fresh Friday movement have stepped up and shown that the age of chivalry is not gone. The neat thing about Fresh Friday is the fun approach these students are taking to model professional dress and positive standards of etiquette.”

Although Fresh Friday takes place only once a week, participants intend to embrace chivalry as a lifestyle. Cazares says, “At the beginning of the semester, I had to continually remind guys to open doors and be considerate of the ladies around them. Now, they take the initiative to be kind and courteous.”

SAGU Dorm Pastors Bethanie Skipper and Peggy Byrne were the first recipients of the young men’s acts of kindness. Byrne says, “I love fresh flowers, so the first time I was handed a bouquet of flowers I was very touched.” The following Friday was dedicated to the lady RAs, and then the Fresh Friday men began handing out single flowers to ladies in dorm lobbies and around campus throughout the day.

SAGU ladies have responded positively to Fresh Friday. Byrne says, “A type of back-and-forth has begun where Guynes women show their appreciation by cooking the men dinner, and the men reciprocate by baking the women cheesecake.”

Skipper says of the Fresh Friday men, “They are modeling true gentlemanly character. I appreciate that they go out of their way to be courteous and respectful. Their behavior is definitely noticed.”

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The University was established in 1927, and now offers more than 60 associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.