By Shelley A. Sackett

Mandy Roberge, owner of Wicked Good Henna, gives Brenda Cohen her first henna tattoo.

Last Friday night, over seventy women left their families, pets and chores at home and trekked over to the Swampscott Library for Ladies Night Out, the fabulous Friday fundraiser sponsored by the Friends of the Swampscott Library with help from library staff.

The evening was a heaven-sent respite from the wintry ravages of March. Jazz wafted through the library, transformed to resemble more of a cocktail party than house of culture and learning. Attendees were treated to a stress-free evening of pampering, chatting, eating and drinking. Women received one complimentary service with more available to purchase, and they enthusiastically signed up for henna tattoos, Reiki, massage, Tarot and Angel card readings, and personal image consultations. Exciting raffles, pop-up boutiques, speakers and sumptuous appetizers donated by Whole Foods were the icing on the cake.

Becky Brandt, owner of Nurture Massage and Wellness in Swampscott, brought her massage chair and complimentary goodie bags to the event. The Swampscott native, who has practiced massage therapy for 7 years, was delighted to be part of the evening. “This looks like a really fun night. There’s a little bit of everything for women to come in and enjoy,” she said.

The area that created the biggest buzz, however, was Mandy Roberge’s henna tattooing table. Women gathered to watch Roberge ply her craft and to pick out which design they wanted when, at long last, it would be their turn. Roberge, who lives in Leominster and owns Wicked Good Henna, was invited to participate by one of librarians, a friend of hers. “This event is a nice way for libraries to treat their patrons and also to bring in new people,” she said as she put the finishing touch on a tattoo by sprinkling it with pink sparkles.

Alison Kenney, a Marblehead resident and Swampscott Friend for 20 years, heard about this type of event from another library and thought it would be a great fit for Swampscott. “We were looking for new ways to engage the community and raise money and this came out of a brainstorming session with some of the librarians, ” she said. “The library is 100 years old, but it is very vibrant tonight,” she added, as she excused herself to go to her Reiki appointment.

Phyllis Sagan, owner of Sagan Realtors in Swampscott, captivated the audience with her humor, advice and personal tales of running a business.

Two speakers, Life Coach and Certified Yoga Instructor Molly Williams and Phyllis Sagan, owner of Sagan Realtors, addressed the standing room crowd. Sagan talked about her experiences starting and growing her business, now in its 34^th year, peppering her talk with humor and sage advice. “I live by the motto, ‘No challenge, no business,’” she said.

Alyce Deveau, Swampscott Library director, and Izzi Abrams, co-head of Children’s Services, prepare to draw the winning raffle tickets.

The Friends is a tax-exempt entity that provides volunteer help, conducts an annual book sale, sponsors programs for adults, purchases all museum passes, funds the library newsletter and underwrites many Young Adult and Children’s Room activities. The evening’s $50 cost included a year’s membership to the Friends, which holds its open meetings in the library on the second Monday of each month at 7:00pm.

Ellen Winkler, a longtime Friend and new Trustee, beamed as she looked around the room. “We’re going to try to reimagine the building from the inside out,” she said with pride.