GREENVILLE – This year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake was held on March 1 and March 2 at Bel-Mar Lanes in Sidney and Treaty Lanes in Greenville.
The event was supported by 129 local businesses and individuals who sponsored, made general donations and/or donated prizes for the event. The two-day event brought together 330 bowlers to make up 66 participating teams.
Preliminary figures showed that Bowl for Kids’ Sake raised $44,009.46 for the Shelby and Darke County agency, which is $8,990.54 shy of its $53,000 goal. Donations are still being accepted to help catapult Big Brothers Big Sisters past its goal.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County thanked the surrounding communities, businesses and individuals who supported its biggest fundraiser of the year.
“The support Big Brothers Big Sisters receives from the community, businesses and people year after year through our Bowl for Kids’ Sake event blows me away,” Executive Director Jennifer Bruns said. “We are very fortunate to be a part of such great communities. The event was a complete success regardless of if we reached our overall goal. The kids we serve are the ones that will benefit from the proceeds, and that is all that counts.”
The money raised will go toward Big Brothers Big Sisters’ after-school Buddies program and its community-based program. Both programs establish one-to-one mentoring relationships between caring adults and children. Last year, the local agency served more than 600 children throughout Shelby and Darke County.
Prize levels were determined by the amount each individual raised. Participants who raised at least $50 ($25 for those younger than 18) were awarded with an event T-shirt. Those who raised up to $75 were entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card, and this year’s winner was Jeff Weaver who bowled with the Littman-Thomas Insurance team.
Those who raised up to $150 qualified for three entries into the Amazon gift card drawing along with one entry for a $500 gash grand prize drawing. This year’s grand prize winner was Dave Keiser, who also bowled with the Littman-Thomas Insurance team.
The Individual Most Money Raised award went to Joe Rizzo, who raised $450 in addition to his company-sponsored entry from Cargill. Rizzo was awarded a Columbus overnight gift basket including overnight accommodations, four admission tickets to COSI and a $25 Darden Restaurant gift card.
Participants also had the opportunity to participate in scavenger hunt-style games to win door prizes during the fundraiser. Photos from the event can be found on the agency’s website.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake is a nationally-recognized fundraiser, and almost 700 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country hold their own event each year.
Big Brothers Big Sisters evaluates its effectiveness and effect on a national and local level. Results show that children who are mentored are more likely to improve in school and in their relationships with family and peers, and they are less likely to skip school or use illegal drugs or alcohol.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County’s 13th annual Duck Derby & Duck N Run 5K will be held June 20 at Tawawa Park in Sidney. The Duck Derby is a way to continue supporting one-to-one mentoring programs in the community.
By “adopting” rubber ducks, individuals are given the chance to win prizes all while making a difference in the life of a child. Duck adoptions, sponsorship opportunities and 5K registrations are available on the agency’s website.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit United Way partner agency. Anyone who would like to become an event sponsor, donor, volunteer or learn more about how to make a difference in a child’s life may contact the local agency at 937-492-7611, 937-547-9622 or go to www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org for more information.
