BBBS Annual Kickoff Fundraiser Bowl For Kids Sake June 10 & 12
March 9, 2021 at 8:54 p.m.
BBBS Annual Kickoff Fundraiser Bowl For Kids Sake June 10 & 12
By Staff Report-
Participants can sign up for one of three sessions at The Bowling Alley, 1535 N. Detroit St., Warsaw. This year’s three sessions are 6 to 8 p.m. June 10; or from 12:30 to 2:30 or 3 to 5 p.m. June 12, according to a news release from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana.
Interested participants are asked to register by going online at BBBSNEI.org, emailing [email protected] or by calling 260-456-1600.
Contestants are asked to sign up in teams of five members, raising $100 per person or $500 per team through donations.
The concept is simple, the release states. Team captains register online and get four other friends, family members or co-workers to form a team. The team captain will reserve their preferred date/time to bowl, encourage team members to raise pledges and then show up on the bowling date chosen to celebrate and enjoy two hours of bowling with rentals, concessions and the chance to win door prizes.
Each team member is encouraged to raise at least $100 in pledges, and incentive prizes are given to those who raise more. This year is future themed, and the best dressed teams at each session will receive exclusive bonus prizes.
Prizes vary by how much is raised. Raise $100 and receive a T-shirt, $250 earns a Brumate Hospulator Trio can cooler and $500 a portable cooler and grill combo. A donation of $1,000 earns a tailgate chair and case, $1,500 a 6-by-6 sport canopy and $2,500 an IGLOO Trailmate Journey 70-quart cooler, everything needed to kick off the summer, according to the news release.
There’s also a chance to win Indianapolis Colts tickets for a group of four and a $500 Visa gift card. Every $500 raised earns one entry into a drawing to win.
Besides bowling at the lanes, because of the pandemic ramifications, there are also two other ways to participate this year.
There’s a new outdoor option on June 19 at Fort Wayne’s Parkview Field. Four two-hour sessions – starting at 9 a.m., noon and 3 and 6 p.m. – will feature bowling-themed games, wine and beer tasting, prizes, pop and your choice of pizza or hotdogs.
“This idea extends from the new normal,” BBBSNEI Director of Development Shelley Schwab said. “Some people are comfortable being indoors with others, and some are not yet, so this is an alternative concept we have on how to make this event happen.”
There will also be a new virtual element, which will allow people to fundraise from the comfort of their home or office. Register online, raise funds and join BBBS from your computer or smartphone for a virtual dance party with fun trivia. All virtual participants receive a personal pan pizza certificate and special prizes for doing your part to support the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, stated the release.
“This is a great opportunity for us to reach out on a big stage to a broader audience and invite them in to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and see the good that we do in the community,” Rider said. “There is so much need. If now is not the right time to consider becoming a Big, then please consider helping in other ways such as Bowl For Kids Sake.”
Traditionally, the BFKS fundraiser attempts to raise $250,000 each year which goes toward helping BBBS develop new matches between Big volunteers and Littles. There are currently 500 children – mostly boys – throughout Northeast Indiana who are waiting to be matched with their Big Brother, Big Sister or Big Couple.
Started in 1980, Bowl For Kids Sake was canceled last March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pro Resources Staffing Services of Fort Wayne has been named presenting sponsor for the event.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana is a nonprofit organization that serves children in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties in Indiana and Branch and Hillsdale in Michigan. The organization’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
To learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate or volunteer, go online at BBBSNEI.org or call 260-456-1600.
Because of the pandemic, BBBS received less than expected from its fundraising efforts over the past year. The pandemic also led to a huge reduction in matches the agency was able to facilitate, especially in the School Buddy program where volunteers have been unable to enter schools.
“Everybody was impacted by COVID,” Schwab said. “I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been. This event is so important and is so critical because we are a `no fee for service’ organization so we really work hard in asking the community to support our work and our day-to-day operations.”
Participants can sign up for one of three sessions at The Bowling Alley, 1535 N. Detroit St., Warsaw. This year’s three sessions are 6 to 8 p.m. June 10; or from 12:30 to 2:30 or 3 to 5 p.m. June 12, according to a news release from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana.
Interested participants are asked to register by going online at BBBSNEI.org, emailing [email protected] or by calling 260-456-1600.
Contestants are asked to sign up in teams of five members, raising $100 per person or $500 per team through donations.
The concept is simple, the release states. Team captains register online and get four other friends, family members or co-workers to form a team. The team captain will reserve their preferred date/time to bowl, encourage team members to raise pledges and then show up on the bowling date chosen to celebrate and enjoy two hours of bowling with rentals, concessions and the chance to win door prizes.
Each team member is encouraged to raise at least $100 in pledges, and incentive prizes are given to those who raise more. This year is future themed, and the best dressed teams at each session will receive exclusive bonus prizes.
Prizes vary by how much is raised. Raise $100 and receive a T-shirt, $250 earns a Brumate Hospulator Trio can cooler and $500 a portable cooler and grill combo. A donation of $1,000 earns a tailgate chair and case, $1,500 a 6-by-6 sport canopy and $2,500 an IGLOO Trailmate Journey 70-quart cooler, everything needed to kick off the summer, according to the news release.
There’s also a chance to win Indianapolis Colts tickets for a group of four and a $500 Visa gift card. Every $500 raised earns one entry into a drawing to win.
Besides bowling at the lanes, because of the pandemic ramifications, there are also two other ways to participate this year.
There’s a new outdoor option on June 19 at Fort Wayne’s Parkview Field. Four two-hour sessions – starting at 9 a.m., noon and 3 and 6 p.m. – will feature bowling-themed games, wine and beer tasting, prizes, pop and your choice of pizza or hotdogs.
“This idea extends from the new normal,” BBBSNEI Director of Development Shelley Schwab said. “Some people are comfortable being indoors with others, and some are not yet, so this is an alternative concept we have on how to make this event happen.”
There will also be a new virtual element, which will allow people to fundraise from the comfort of their home or office. Register online, raise funds and join BBBS from your computer or smartphone for a virtual dance party with fun trivia. All virtual participants receive a personal pan pizza certificate and special prizes for doing your part to support the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, stated the release.
“This is a great opportunity for us to reach out on a big stage to a broader audience and invite them in to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and see the good that we do in the community,” Rider said. “There is so much need. If now is not the right time to consider becoming a Big, then please consider helping in other ways such as Bowl For Kids Sake.”
Traditionally, the BFKS fundraiser attempts to raise $250,000 each year which goes toward helping BBBS develop new matches between Big volunteers and Littles. There are currently 500 children – mostly boys – throughout Northeast Indiana who are waiting to be matched with their Big Brother, Big Sister or Big Couple.
Started in 1980, Bowl For Kids Sake was canceled last March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pro Resources Staffing Services of Fort Wayne has been named presenting sponsor for the event.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana is a nonprofit organization that serves children in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties in Indiana and Branch and Hillsdale in Michigan. The organization’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
To learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate or volunteer, go online at BBBSNEI.org or call 260-456-1600.
Because of the pandemic, BBBS received less than expected from its fundraising efforts over the past year. The pandemic also led to a huge reduction in matches the agency was able to facilitate, especially in the School Buddy program where volunteers have been unable to enter schools.
“Everybody was impacted by COVID,” Schwab said. “I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been. This event is so important and is so critical because we are a `no fee for service’ organization so we really work hard in asking the community to support our work and our day-to-day operations.”
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092