This year’s Blackburn Homecoming included a new addition to the wide range of activities offered to the returning alumni. On Saturday, Oct. 1, from 2-6 p.m., the Alumni Board held Barney’s Barstool Open, a play on the classic bar walk but with the addition of mini-golf holes at each bar. Students and alumni formed teams of four and took to the bars of Carlinville to try their hand at this mini-golf competition. With a total of 45 participants, the bars were packed with alumni eager to drink and putt away the afternoon. The barstool open was formed to help raise funds for the Alumni Board. Each participant paid $25 to play in the competition.
According to Alumni Board Vice President and organizer of the event Autumn Warren (class of ’04), the event was created to “not only help the board raise money so we can continue to do things like hosting the senior banquet, but it also fills a need engaging a younger group of alumni who may not otherwise be inclined to be involved.” The Alumni Board works to organize various activities and maintain relationships with the alumni of the college. The event was helpful for making money for more events like the barstool open in the future.
Teams were transported to the eight holes at various bars around town including Lucky Dog’s Alehouse, The Wood Duck and The Cozy Corner. While participants were not required to drink, those that did were safely moved around town in a party bus provided by the Alumni Board. After completing the competition, teams were taken to The Anchor Inn for the awards ceremony and after party.
Warren believes that the competition gave alumni and students “a reason to socialize” and that it “breeds a good environment.” According to one of the participants in the barstool open, Jacob Conder (class of ’15), the event was a great success. However, Conder also had his criticisms. He believes that if they do it next year that “they should push it back later to like 4 or 5 p.m.” Conder seemed confident that the event would have more participants with a later start time.