Anyone involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) knows February means Bowl for Kids.
That is the month organizers encourage the entire community to get involved and bowl. It is also the time of year bowlers descend on the businesses community asking for donations for door prizes – and the response is usually great.
“We are indeed a blessed community, a giving community and we thank you in advance for your support,” said Marnie Mainland, coordinator with BBBS of North Wellington.
“We are conscious of the fact we are in economically unsettled times and it is during these times that demand for our services increase.”
“We must raise $60,000 in this year’s Bowl for Kids campaign so that we can continue to provide services, free of charge, to those in our community who depend on us.”
Mainland explained the demand is increasing for both the BBBS’ one-to-one match program, as well as its in-school mentoring program.
At the same time it is becoming more of a challenge to find appropriate volunteers to fill those positions, she added.
“We must make every effort to give back childhood to our children, and make sure they are valued as individuals so that they in turn will grow up to be responsible caring parents, contributing members of society,” Mainland said.
“We understand not everyone is in a position to volunteer their time on a weekly basis as our Big Brothers, Big Sisters and in-school mentors do, but by coming to our Bowl for Kids events you are helping out in a really big way, because without money we cannot continue to provide our programs.”
Upcoming Bowl for Kids events at the Mount Forest Bowling Lanes include:
– the official 2009 campaign launch on Feb. 8, for the Minto-Mapleton group;
– Feb. 15 for the Mount Forest group; and
– Feb. 22 for the Arthur group.
If anyone has not been contacted by a BBBS member about participating but would like to be included, call 519-323-4273.
For more details and a complete prize list visit bbbsnorthwellington.org.
