Megan Bishop, Jonathan Earp, Omarthan Clarke, Keegan Gonsalves, Kelli Nielsen, and Angela Vatter work on giving Shenanigans Pub a facelift Saturday. (Photo by Kathi Bradford)
WESTFIELD – Shenanigans Pub got a major facelift on Saturday when the Westfield State Alumni Association took them on as a project for the Alumni Year of Service.
When Kelli Nielsen took over as President of the WSAA last October, she used the opportunity for the group to focus on community service. Having gone on many service trips with the school, she decided it was time to get people to give back at home. It was time to show the world that Westfield State alumni care about their communities.
“We have thousands of alumni across the country. So many alumni are doing amazing things,” Nielsen said. “I’m very passionate about service and giving back, and getting involved with the Alumni Association really opened my eyes to see what amazing and rewarding service is out there. When I run into classmates at Homecoming, I learn they continue to volunteer and give back to people in their communities. It’s a great thing.”
Throughout the course of the year, the WSAA has been asking alums to send in stories and photos of different things they have done so they can be posted on the alumni website.
Examples of service have included blood drives, Pittsfield Beautiful (planting in the town square), can drives, working on the boards for Relay for Life and the Cancer Society, and much more.
The Shenanigans Pub storefront became a project for the WSAA when the owner’s daughter/bartender, Bianca Lucia, heard about the Year of Service program.
“Westfield is making so many improvements and we feel it is our responsibility to keep improving Shenanigans. The university is such a big part of this city and it’s nice to have them incorporated into downtown Westfield,” Lucia said.
Omarthan Clarke, class of 2007, was the lead artist on the project.
“I agreed to participate in the project for two major reasons: I love Westfield State and knowing that the work I was about to contribute to would be admired by the community and appreciated by the management excited me. And anytime someone shows belief or interest in my work, I am deeply honored and encouraged to continue creating,” Clarke said. “I am very happy that the Alumni Association reached out to me.”
After eight hours of painting on Saturday, the front of Shenanigans was transformed from a plain stucco wall to an authentic-looking stone style Irish pub.
“The building has never looked so welcoming, warm and vibrant, which mirrors the qualities Shenanigans offers,” Lucia said.
The other volunteers included Kelli Nielsen, class of 2004, Angela Vatter, class of 1993, Steve Dailey, class of 1995, Jeff Bradford, class of 1985, Keegan Gonsalves, class of 2011, Megan Bishop, class of 2013, Jessica Freeman, Jonathan Earp, and Kathi Bradford, Director of Alumni Relations.
The WSAA still has some other projects to do before Nielsen’s presidency comes to an end next October. However, during the transition to a new president, they plan to continue dedicating time to service projects all around the world where alumni are located.
