Dana Scott / Winonan

This year’s Dinner for the Ladies took place Saturday, April 9 at Pleasant Valley church and served around 440 college-aged women. This year’s event had a red carpet theme.

Jennifer Zabinski was a first-time attendee of the event.

“It is a great community event for all college-aged women. It was well-orchestrated, fun and inspiring,” Zabinski said.

According to Gregg Nelson, who led the event, the goal of the event was to put on a five-star restaurant experience with a speaker, a four-course meal and dance for the women of Winona.

The men of college ministries put on the event. Nelson expressed there was a core group of 14 men who began preparing for the event in January and put in 75 hours worth of work towards the event.

“We want to show the women that men can still be chivalrous,” Nelson said.

Zabinski said her favorite aspect of the event was the idea behind it — that chivalry is not dead.

“I would love to thank the men for being such a great example and showing women that they are more than just objects, and showing us that there are men out there that will respect you and treat you well,” Emily McCaleb, Winona State University senior, said.

The first year the event was hosted, around 200 to 300 women attended. This year attendance grew to about 440 women.

“The reason I love attending dinner for the ladies is because it is just such a special night,” McCaleb said.

McCaleb has been going for the last three years and recommends others to attend the event in years to come.

“I would wholeheartedly recommend this event to others,” McCaleb said. “It is an event that the men put on to give the ladies of Winona a special night and to treat them how they should be treated, and just give them a great time.”

Assistant professor in the business administration and human resource management department, Jana Craft, spoke at the event.

“She had such an amazing talk to give to all,” McCaleb said, regarding Craft’s speech. “She really bore her soul in her story, didn’t hold back and just really gave us a lot of advice and wisdom.”

Zabinski also described Craft’s speaking as inspiring.

“Imagine a fancy fundraising gala with good food, decorations and entertainment,” Zabinski said. “Then make it free, and add a few hundred stunning college woman and kind, well-dressed men.”