PARRY SOUND - People of all ages and skill levels will bowl for thousands of goodwill dollars this Saturday at Georgian Lanes.
Amongst roaring gutter balls and the glory of falling pins, up to 48 teams consisting of five members each could potentially raise $15,000 in pledges to benefit the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Parry Sound mentoring program.
“We’re really hoping for a big turnout,” caseworker and event co-ordinator Joelle Fox says of the fundraiser, Bowl For Kids Sake.
Three years ago, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Parry Sound, a non-profit organization, launched its mentoring program at St. Peter’s School. William Beatty school, Parry Sound High School and Victory school have since adopted the program, which allows students, or little brothers and little sisters, to spend one hour each week outside classes with their mentors playing games, baking or doing other activities that are considered fun and interesting, Fox said.
“All the money we’ll raise (this weekend) will go directly back to our program,” said Fox, who hopes the mentoring program will expand to every school in the Parry Sound area, including McDougall, Nobel and Humphrey, within the next few years.
“That goes towards things they can do together, like baking supplies, or anything they want to pursue in a friendship way.”
Students laugh and smile jubilantly just talking about the program. Positive results are evident in mentors also.
“Sometimes when you’re in class you get frustrated, and you need to have a little bit of fun,” says Axenia, 10, a Grade 4 student at St. Peter’s School.
Axenia’s schoolmate Brian, 9, one of the first students involved in the mentoring program, greatly appreciates the spare time afforded to him on a weekly basis.
“You can do whatever you want to,” he says. “It makes things easier, like getting into sports.”
For Sharon Beavais, a big sister since September 2009, it’s the friendships and gratification associated with participating in the mentoring program that she cherishes most.
“It’s one of the most rewarding things,” says Beavais.
“I hope other people have time to devote one hour, just to give it a chance. They’ll find they get just as much out of it as the little ones do.”
Every Tuesday at William Beatty School, Beavais’ eight-year-old little sister eagerly awaits her arrival with open arms.
“You can work in an office, you can do whatever, but you’ll never get the reward you get when you walk up to the door and that little one is standing there with a big smile and you get a big hug,” said Beavais. “You can’t put a price on that.”
Bowl for Kids Sake occurs Saturday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Georgian Lanes in Parry Sound. A registration fee of $125 will be applied to all teams, or a minimum of $25 per person both of which can be covered in the form of a pledge, said Fox.
A silent auction valued at $5,000 will feature golf clubs, dinner vouchers, Tim Horton’s gift certificates, West Jet tickets and a YMCA membership, just to name a few of the dazzling prizes up for grabs.