slideshow

It’s time to dust off those bowling shoes and get set for the Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) Bowl for Kids’ Sake annual event!

The yearly fundraiser, which helps Grayson County youths to match up with mentors, will begin with a kick-off luncheon on Thursday, January 17 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Groups who are interested in participating in the event, where they create a bowling team for the two-day event in order to raise funds for the non-profit organization are encouraged to attend the luncheon to get some helpful information.

Kevin Clark, Community Engagement Branch Manager for BBBS invites everyone to attend the free lunch, which he calls a “celebration” and an opportunity to “put the information in people’s hands and have a little fun.”

Anyone can put together a team, Clark said, whether its a business, civic organization, family or just a group of friends, and the best part about the event is that the teams can rest assured that all of the funds raised will help kids right here in Grayson County.

“A lot of times you do a fundraiser and you’re not sure where the money goes,” Clark said. He went on to explain that the Bowl for Kids’ Sake event takes that uncertainty out of raising money for a good cause.

There are currently 12 BBBS matches locally, and Clark said that the goal of raising money is to create more matches. He said that it takes approximately $1,200 a year to make and support one child/mentor match. The costs include background and records checks as well as professional support for the pair.

“How much money is raised predicts where we’re going to be able to go down the road,” Clark explained.

Throughout the year, mentors become a significant part of the children’s lives and make themselves a reliable shoulder to lean on as well as a someone with whom the child can learn new things and enjoy spending time together.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Clark said, “and the end result is that we’re helping children.”

He went on to say that the group is “really trying to push forward in our presence in Grayson County as well as the ability to make more matches. We’re looking to expand what we do, and that’s not just the bowl, but also match events and other events to create a large following in the county.”

Because of the popularity of the Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraiser in the past, he said the group has decided to add on an extra day of bowling this year.

The main event will take place on Saturday, February 16 and Sunday, February 17th. Teams will have seven or eight time slot options during those two days when they can sign up to bowl.

According to organizers, the ideal number for a bowling group is four or five, and participants can be any age.

The group also plans to “spice up the bowl” this year and to create more chances for teams to win prizes.

Anyone interested in gaining additional information about the event is encouraged to attend the kick-off lunch on Thursday or visit the website at www.bowl4kidssake.com. You may also contact Kevin Clark at 270-259-0492 or Jill Grant at 270-769-5225.