Contribution

Contributed by Big Brothers Big Sisters

Bowl for Kids’ Sake Fundraiser Lets Community Have Fun While Helping Vulnerable Children

(KALAMAZOO, MICH.) – Kalamazoo County residents are invited to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and have a great time in the process. The 2012 Kalamazoo County Bowl for Kids’ Sake is slated for March 3 and 4 at PINZ, 4500 Stadium Dr., Kalamazoo. The five bowling fundraising events that will take place over these two days are among the 16 Bowl for Kids’ Sake events that Big Brothers Big Sisters, A Community of Caring will hold this spring throughout their five-county region.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake isn’t really about bowling – it’s about helping kids. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is one of the agency’s biggest annual fundraisers and the money raised by the bowlers allows the agency to match more vulnerable children with adult mentors. This means that more friendships will grow, more lives and perspectives will change, and more children will start to have improved outlooks on life.

“Each bowler is asked to collect pledges totaling at least $60. Then everyone comes together to celebrate their successful fundraising with two games of free bowling, a free event T-shirt, and chances to win one of the many door prizes we have available,” says Cindy Schrauben, Bowl for Kids’ Sake coordinator. “The participants help us a lot and we believe in rewarding them with a fun event and great prizes for our top fundraisers. This year, the top individual fundraiser will win airfare for two from Kalamazoo to Florida and the top fundraising team will win a Millennium Restaurant progressive dinner and theatre tickets. Plus, every bowler who raises at least $125 will receive a $25 Millennium Restaurant Group gift certificate.”

All of the money raised at the Kalamazoo events will go directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters programming in Kalamazoo County. The nation’s leader in quality one-to-one youth mentoring services, Big Brothers Big Sisters holds itself accountable for and is able to measure specific youth outcomes. Its programs focus on educational achievement, avoidance of risky behaviors such as juvenile delinquency, higher self-esteem, confidence and the ability to relate to others.

“Bowl for Kids’ Sake brings the community together in support of a positive future for our kids,” said Deb Buchholtz, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, A Community of Caring. “No matter how someone chooses to be involved – bowler, team captain, sponsor, or volunteer – each person has a hand in helping to start a child on the right path. Every dollar raised through Bowl for Kids’ Sake directly funds our mentoring programs in Kalamazoo County and helps to maintain and sustain our mentoring relationships, increasing kids’ chances for success.”

To join Bowl for Kids’ Sake, visit www.bbbsmi.org, click on the “Events” tab at the top of the page, then click on Bowl for Kids’ Sake, and then click on Kalamazoo County.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

For more than 100 years Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”).

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a system of ongoing support and evaluation which is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that “Littles” will perform better in school, avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Big Brothers Big Sisters, A Community of Caring serves more than 1,400 children annually in Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren Counties. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate or volunteer at www.bbbsmi.org.