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Community bowls for kids

With the lanes full and the bowling balls rolling, members of the community got together for a day of fun and sport to help benefit the youth of Ponoka.

Teams took their turn on the lanes at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl-a-thon on April 17 at Leisure Lanes bowling alley and had fun raising money for a great cause.

To date the Bowl for Kids Sake Bowl-a-thon raised over $19,000 and there are still funds expected to roll in.

The bowling alley was decorated to celebrate this year’s theme ‘down on the farm’ and many teams celebrated the theme by dressing up like a farmer or something related to farming.

“The theme really lent itself to the community,” said Morgen Chernick, fundraising coordinator and case worker of BBBS. “It was great to see the different costumes.”

Pizza, subs and fruit trays were provided for the players and every team had an hour to get their games in.

Prizes were awarded to those who worked hard at raising funds for BBBS.

The first place winner for most money raised by a youth was Adam Patterson who raised $740. Patterson won a birthday party package for six at the Edmonton International Raceway and four passes to Calloway Park.

The most money raised by an adult was by Miranda Drost who brought in $700. She took home four tickets to the evening performance at the Ponoka Stampede and 18 holes of golf at the Ponoka Community Golf Course.

Most money raised by a team was by the Meindertsma family who raised $1,300. The family won a roundtrip for four between Edmonton and Jasper on Via Rail as well as four passes to Rabbit Hill Snow Resort.

The Ponoka Elementary School team grabbed first place for their creative costumes.

Door prizes were also awarded throughout the day.

Altogether there were approximately 44 teams registered, averaging four to six people on a team.

“The event went really really well,” said Chernick. “It was so much fun, everyone had a blast.”

The funds that were raised during Bowl for Kids Sake will go to the various programs offered by BBBS.

The event had a lot of help from the community to help make it a success and BBBS is very impressed and grateful that Ponoka provided such overwhelming support.

“We really appreciate all that the community has done to make this a great fundraiser,” said Chernick. “This support makes us a great organization and helps us serve the youth of the community. We are really thankful to all those who came out and helped out.”