It’s possible that some students had their prayers answered at the end of last semester when an amended ordinance passed for legal sale of alcohol on Sundays, allowing WKU to join the likes of the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville with opportunities for a “Sunday funday.”

The Bowling Green City Commission approved an amended ordinance BG2013-42 3-2 on Dec. 4, allowing the sale of alcohol on Sundays. 

Clarksville, Tenn. junior Aarion Hinds said he’s taken advantage of the ordinance since it passed. 

“I’ve probably bought alcohol every Sunday since they started doing it,” he said. 

However, Hinds said the only people that will find sale on Sunday’s beneficial are those who forgot to purchase alcohol on Saturday night. 

“I always told myself I would get beer or something on Saturday night, but I would always end up forgetting,” he said. 

Hinds doesn’t think the ordinance will turn Sundays into party nights comparable to weekends and “Thirsty Thursdays” because most students have class Monday morning. 

“Monday is school,” he said. “If we don’t have school on that Monday, Sunday could be a party night. But there’s something about a Sunday — it feels different. It feels calmer.”

While Hinds said he doesn’t think the ordinance will really influence drinking habits, he does think the majority of students will take advantage. 

“They were already selling Monday through Saturday, one day isn’t going to make a difference,” he said. “Bottom line is if you’re mature enough, you can handle it.”

Michael Hager, regional manager of Shenanigan’s Wine & Spirits, said he’s enjoyed working on Sundays. 

“Of course with our business, any time we’re able to sell is a positive thing,” he said. “Especially Sundays during football season.”Though the ordinance is only in its first months of operation, Hager believes that there will be a sales increase. 

“Its kind of hard to tell so far because we’ve only been open a month and a half yet,” he said. “I think any time we’re open we’re going to have sales increase — it’s definitely not going to hurt.”

However, money isn’t the only benefit. 

“It helps public safety as well as our sales,” he said. “People can come to the liquor store and get their alcohol and go to their house to drink with their friends, as opposed to having to go to a bar somewhere and then possibly risking driving home.”

Fritz Games, campus minister for Reformed University Fellowship, said he tries not to find himself in stores on a Sunday, but believes, as a Christian, that everyone deserves a day off.

“I have better things to do on Sundays, like worship with other believers, works of service and mercy, share meals, rest, be out in creation. But, if I do find myself in the store on Sunday for said meal, it would be great to know that if I wanted to buy beer I could,” he said. 

Games acknowledges while some may have an issue with the Sunday sale, the Bible grants freedom in Christ. 

“Though some Christians have issues with shopping on Sundays or drinking alcohol, I think the Bible gives us freedom in Christ to do both thankfully and wisely,” he said.

Dominic Ossello, communications officer for WKU Police Department, said he doesn’t anticipate a drastic change in student behavior.

“Alcohol is a big concern on campus, especially underage drinking and the dangers that can be associated with something like that,” he said. “Western is a college campus where the weekends are not really active. So I don’t foresee them (students) picking up Sunday as ‘the new day.”

Ossello added that he doesn’t believe an additional day of alcohol sales will influence drinking habits. 

“The people who are going to have a drink are going to have a drink whether or not they pick it up Saturday night or Sunday morning,” he said.

Ossello said that, whatever the outcome, the police department will continue to enforce the law. 

“We’ll just continue to hit it like we do and promote good decision making and being accountable for what you decide to do,” he said.