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Big Brothers-Big Sisters sponsors annual bowl-a-thon
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A group of bowlers took a break from bowling to pose for the camera during the recent Big Brothers Big Sisters event.
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Neighbors | Nicole Paden.Big Brothers & Big Sisters Executive Director Brian Higgins (right) poses for a photo with volunteer Kristen Kotheimer at the 2012 Bowl for Kids Sake Bowl-a-thon at Camelot Lanes.
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All ages came out for the 2012 Bowl for Kids Sake Bowl-a- These too made sure to grab some balloons during the event.
By NICOLE PADEN
The Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Mahoning Valley sponsored its 29th annual “Bowl for Kids Sake” bowl-a-thon at Camelot Lanes in Boardman April 28.
The Mahoning Valley chapter formed in 1969 and is affiliated with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. There are 450 branches of this non-profit organization in the United States. Ohio has 30 of them divided into counties. The local chapter encompasses families in both Mahoning and Trumbull counties.
For the event, volunteers and children formed teams and bowled at Camelot to raise funds for the organization. The goal was to have six on a team and raise $75 per player to participate.
Service Guide, an industrial repair and maintenance company based in Cortland, was the major community sponsor for the event. Other donations or sponsors came from politicians, banks, attorneys, and others. There were 20 different vendors who provided food for the event, including Arby’s and Chick-fil-A.
The bowl-a-thon included a series of raffle drawings, including 13 different baskets. There was also a 50/50 drawing. Door prizes were given away to people who bowled a strike. There were also major prizes that were given to the people who contributed the most donations.
This was the 15th bowl-a-thon for Brian Higgins, the executive director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Mahoning Valley.
“I believe in the program because I see an impact and change in the kids’ lives,” said Higgins.
The money raised from this event will stay in the Valley. On average, the event brings in between $15,000 and $20,000 each year.
Big Brothers-Big Sisters volunteers range in age from 18 to senior citizens. Most of the time, children needing the service come from single-parent, low-income or military families. The organization provides pairings to kids ranging in age 7-15. Potential volunteers are interviewed, fingerprinted and go through a background check.
There is also a high school program where high school students can volunteer. The high school students would be called “bigs” and the children they are paired with would be their “littles.”
There are currently 230 kids matched in the Big Brother-Big Sister program, however there are still 40 children on a waiting list.
“Sometimes kids are on a the list for over a year waiting for a match, but no kids are ever turned away from the program,” said Higgins.
The kids come in for annual assessments to see how they have progressed while being in the program. The results are an increased self-esteem, less likelihood to use drugs, and better performance in school.
“It’s the most rewarding place to work and to help kids reach out to people when they have no one to reach out to is the reward in my life,” said Kim Carolyne, a volunteer with the program. “The biggest struggle for the organization is getting volunteers.”