Bowl for Kids’ Sake: Funds help bigs, littles

  • Local residents who were bowling to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County really got into the games Saturday. Photo by Sam Jokich
    Local residents who were bowling to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County really got into the games Saturday. Photo by Sam Jokich

        Murphy - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County held its first Bowl for Kids’ Sake on Saturday at the Ultra-Star Entertainment Center inside Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel.
        The organization considered it to be one of its largest fundraisers of the year, said Gloria Dockery, one of the county’s program coordinators.
        “BBBS only asks for a $50 donation per team member to be raised so they can bowl that day,” Dockery said.
        Bowl for Kids’ Sake had 16 teams with up to five players on each team to bowl. The money raised will be used to support the local program.
         Each participant received a ‘Bowl for Kids’ Sake’ shirt, their shoes and bowling ball. Everyone also got doughnuts and a goody bag. All teams had the opportunity to receive door prizes. The event had a pirate theme.
        “First and foremost, we would like to extend a huge thank you to Modern Woodmen for providing us with a matching grant, plus three wonderful door prizes,” Dockery said. “We also want to say thanks to the 16 BFKS team members, who came out on Saturday and worked so very hard to raise money, donating their own money and time.”
        Other businesses and individuals that donated to the event were Lowe’s, Murphy Auto Parts, Sweet Tooth, Ultra-Star Bowling, Subway, Howard’s Bait & Tackle, P&R Paving, Robbin Sinay, Tom Spencer, Valleytown Insurance, Interstate Welding, Andrews Cruise Night, Gail and David Hubbard in memory of Betty Westmoreland, and Jeff Swain. Dockery also thanked all of the board members and two new Pacesetters Adventure Center employees, Lori Anderson and Erin Nicholson, for their support.
         Bowl for Kids’ Sake is a national event that Cherokee County participated in for the first time this year. Each year, half a million people across America come together to have fun and raise money to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.
        For details, visit bbbswnc.org, or contact program coordinators Dockery and Gail Hubbard at cherokee@bbbswnc.org or 361-0989. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, a partner agency of the United Way of Cherokee and Clay counties.