SPRINGFIELD — A mayor, an anchorwoman, a businessman, former NBA players and others all had one thing in common Thursday night. They were all tending bar at the Student Prince and The Fort in downtown Springfield to raise money for the Springfield Boys and Girls Club.
Rock 102 radio personality Mike Baxendale raised his booming voice to hush the crowd so he could extol them to tip the bartenders well, then circulated around the room with a giant silver bowl that quickly filled with cash.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno worked by the side of Peter Picknelly Jr., both men pouring stein after stein of beer, often collecting $20 tips for their efforts.
Sarah Tsitso, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club, couldn’t have been happier with the turnout. Calling the crowd “off the charts” Tsitso could be seen wandering through the bar asking for tips, often rewarded for her efforts.
Picknelly, a partner at the Student Prince and chief executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines, took a break from pouring beer to talk about his late father, Peter, and how he supported many charities over the years and took a special interest in the Boys and Girls Club.
“The Boys Club was near and dear to him” he remarked.