BY KELLY LEWIS
Will Guan, a junior, was up at 4 a.m. Saturday to shovel snow off sidewalks and entryways around campus.
“The visibility is less than a quarter-mile and it's extremely cold and windy out,” Guan, a part-time facilities worker, said.
Winter Storm Kenan hit the College in the late hours of Friday, January, 28 with 13 inches of snow in the past 24 hours and at least eight more inches expected in the coming 24 hours, as of noon, according to The Weather Channel.
Vice President for Student Affairs Pauline M. Dobrowski, Ed.D. sent out an email to the Stonehill community on Friday afternoon with safety tips.
She said to stay clear of facility workers removing snow when walking on campus.
“During a snow event, our first priority is to clear the roadways, building entrances, and main walkways in order to maintain emergency access to all areas of the campus,” the email said.
Most students chose to stock up on snacks and groceries ahead of time to avoid going out in the storm.
Caroline Abate, a senior, said she went to the Wegmans Supermarket in Natick, with her friends on Friday afternoon to buy food for the storm.
“I wanted to be prepared, so I bought snacks, fruit, and some freezer meals to keep in my fridge in case I don’t want to leave my hall,” she said
Tyler Thomas, a junior, said his suitemates aren’t going anywhere for the day.
“We’re having a big breakfast with waffles, bacon, and eggs,” he said. “We also have a fire video going on the TV.”
For students who need food and are brave enough to venture out into the snow, there are three options.
According to an email sent out on Friday afternoon from Director of Purchasing and General Services Gregory J. Wolfe, Roche Dining Commons is open for Brunch until 1:30 p.m. and Dinner will be served from 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Hill will also be open for Bite mobile orders only from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m and Dunkin Donuts in Shields will be open for regular hours; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Bridget Fama, a junior, said she went out in the snowstorm with her suitemates from Endicott in the junior courts to get breakfast at the Commons around 11 a.m.
“The conditions were crazy,” Fama said. “It was so windy we couldn’t see anything and I slipped and fell in the middle of the road.”
As Dobrowski said in her email: “Please wear proper footwear and be a bit more cautious when the ground is wet, icy or snowy.”
The blizzard warning for Boston was issued at 3:37 a.m. by The National Weather Service and will remain in effect until 5 a.m. on Sunday, January 30. In total, 18 to 24 inches of snow is predicted, along with wind gusts as high as 70 mph.
The snow continues to fall at two to four inches an hour. And according to The National Weather Service, travel should be restricted to emergency vehicles only.
Once the blizzard warning is lifted, the Office of Student Engagement has shovels for students to borrow if they need to dig their car out.
The email sent out on Thursday, January 27 said, “Need to borrow a shovel for the upcoming snowstorm? The Information Desk in the Roche Commons has you covered! Visit the desk during standard office hours all winter long.”
As of right now 1:30 p.m. the College has power, but if it goes out, College officials say they are prepared.
“Because of the risk of power outages due to the predicted strong winds, the College has rented two light towers, and all emergency generators have been tested,” Dobrowski said.
“Please stay safe and warm as we navigate this weather winter,” Dobrowski said.
Closures on campus:
The Sports Complex is closed on Saturday, January 29th due to snow and is set to reopen on Sunday, January 30 at noon, according to an email sent out on Friday by Recreational Sports.
According to an email from MacPhaidin Library, the library will be closed all day on Saturday due to the snowstorm.
“While we are hoping to reopen for our normal hours (12 p.m. - 12 a.m.) on Sunday, we are continuing to closely monitor the forecast and will keep the community updated,” the email said.
Stonehill College Police Department announced the closure of most parking lots; including Boland, Sally Blair Ames South, Library, Chapel of Mary, and Duffy
“Due to the impending snowstorm, the following parking lots will close at 6 p.m. Friday, January 28, 2022,” the email said.
“Two Bogan Hall residents walking back from Dunkin holding iced coffees and bags of food.”
Photo courtesy of Abby Campbell.
“Footsteps leading to the Red Bridge on campus.”
Photo courtesy of Abby Campbell.
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