WESTFIELD—The Westfield Athenaeum has three fundraising efforts happening through the next three months to try and continue to fund their renovation efforts.
The Athenaeum is currently having a Christmas in July event, next is a comedy show in August and finally a wine tasting in September. Each event is meant to raise money for the renovations to make the Athenaeum more universally accessible, including improved handicap access, which is the first step in a multi-phase renovation project for the building.
Daniel Paquette, director of the Westfield Athenaeum (WNG file photo)
According to Dan Paquette, director of the Athenaeum, they are around $130,000 shy of their $1.5 million mark for phase one. He said that the donations were coming regularly but have slowed recently.
“We’re getting there slowly but surely, but the summer’s been tough,” Paquette said. “We were doing pretty great and had regular donors but it’s slowed down the past couple months.”
Paquette hopes that these three fundraising events will help spur donations to get them through the lull.
For Christmas in July, Paquette said that staff has set up a Christmas tree that is filled with ornaments, which have a number of item requests on them along with a monetary amount. Participants can go to the tree between now and the end of July and take an ornament, then give the Athenaeum the amount requested on it.
Ornaments hang on the Christmas tree at the Athenaeum. (photo submitted by Dan Paquette)
The ornaments have a number of items Paquette said, including ceiling tiles, security cameras, technology ports and light fixtures. The majority of items cost between $5 to $25, but Paquette said that they can be as high as $200.
According to Paquette, they have already received about a half-dozen ornament requests back already. The impact was even seen as soon as the tree was established.
“Right when we were putting it up, the first family grabbed an ornament and it made its first impact as soon as it was put up,” he said.
The second event for the Athenaeum is a comedy show happening on Aug. 12 at the Westfield Athenaeum’s Lang auditorium. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Athenaeum’s circulation desk. The event will open its doors at 7 p.m. to the public, with the first performer taking the stage at 8 p.m. Beer and wine will be sold at the event.
According to Paquette, the headlining comedian will be Ray Harrington. In addition to performing stand-up comedy, Harrington also has a documentary on Hulu called “Be a Man,” which was the winner for Best Documentary at the 2015 LA Comedy Festival, according to the documentary’s website.
Also performing will be Pat Oates, who has been a guest on Bax and O’Brien, Paquette said, and according to Oates’ website, has also appeared on E! Network and TLC.
“Should be a nice fun night that is a little bit different than what people are used to,” Paquette said.
Finally, on Friday, Sept. 15, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Athenaeum will be holding a wine tasting at the Raven Hollow Winery located near the Koziski Farm in Southwick.
Tickets will be $30 each, and wine and food will be served. However, a menu has not been determined yet.
