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Date: 8/9/2023
BELCHERTOWN — Janice McCarthy Rogers is hosting a party at McCarthy’s Pub on Saturday, Aug. 19 to say thank you to the community and celebrate being in business for 40 years.
She stated she is doing this event to thank the community for supporting her many years in business and for allowing her to be in Belchertown.
“I am really truly doing it to say thank you for this community, for the people in the community because without them I would have been long gone way before 40 years and definitely gone during COVID. I feel that I am going to put up this tent and say thank you for just allowing me to still be in this community,” Rogers said.
McCarthy’s Pub is located at 5 East Walnut St.
Rogers said that McCarthy’s is hosting an event from 11 a.m. to around 10 p.m. that will include live music and a fundraiser for Shriners Children’s Hospital.
According to Rogers, there will be entertainment from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a fundraiser from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and the house band, Willies, will be there at 6 p.m. until the party is over.
“We are just going to hang out and have a great day,” Rogers added. “Eating, beverages, fun things. It feels like I can’t believe it made it to 40 years. I am going to have a blast all day.”
The fundraiser will be “Chicken Shoot” or Pub Bingo.
She said that they laminate three out of the 52 cards in a deck where people can buy a deck for $10.
They then call out three cards and if you have them, everyone yells out “chicken shoot” and Rogers hands out prizes.
There will also be a 50/50 raffle.
All the funds from the fundraisers go back to Shriners Children’s Hospital.
Rogers said everyone from the community is invited.
“We are inviting family, friends which everyone in the town of Belchertown is actually family and friends after 40 years. There is no such thing as a guest because after 40 years everyone is family and friends,” she said.
Rogers noted her fundraising for Shriners began by joining the Leprechaun Plunge hosted every year at Brunelle’s Marina in South Hadley.
The event no longer takes place but due to the overwhelming support from its customers, the Belchertown community have continued to raise money with several fundraising events hosted throughout the year.
Rogers said over the last five years McCarthy’s has raised approximately $326,000 for Shriners.
“That’s pretty good for a small building that only fits 80 people. It’s a great place, Shriners Hospital,” she added.
Rogers reflected on her time over the years in Belchertown and what it means to the community.
She said, “I hope the community thinks it’s a fun place to be, a warm gathering spot. Somewhere where family and friends can always gather and feel comfortable and feel like family. That’s what I want it to be.
“I am grateful for the community that has supported this place during 40 years. There’s a lot that happens in 40 years and we survived that and its pretty damn good. Its not just my staff that helped me, it’s the community. That is why the party is going to happen. Hopefully I have lot of great giveaways and it’s a nice big thank you for keeping me around,” Rogers concluded.