Bowl For Kids Sake Raises $23,000

Osawatomie Middle School seventh grader and Little, Alicia Dillard, prepared with other Littles in other lanes to roll to begin the Bowl For Kids Sake event Saturday in Olathe

By Kevin Gray

For a 10th year, bowlers and non-bowlers alike joined together at Olathe East Lanes wearing special lane shoes and sending balls, either down the lane or gullies, to raise funds for Miami County Big Brothers Big Sisters. Cinco de Marcho was the theme. Bowl For Kids’ Sake has been ongoing, said director Erin Lyon, now for 10 years. “Everybody could come dressed up in costume or come as you are. Many dressed up wearing colorful sombreros and fringed ponchos.

One of the biggest fundraisers of the year, Lyon said, Bowl For Kids’ Sake brought 29 teams from Miami and Johnson counties together, including the cities of Osawatomie, Paola, Louisburg and Spring Hill. “We raised $23,400, and George Hall was our top fundraiser,” Lyon said.

Back for their 10th year, Cindy Lewis and Jennifer Wagner of Osawatomie’s First Option Bank Loan Sharkettes said they had been there for the first Bowl For Kids’ Sake. “We had a few member changes and now have Amy Nuessen and Lori Donahue, but Jennifer and I have been here every year,” said Lewis.

In their green and pink neon T-shirts, the Sharkettes said they believe in helping others. “This is a great opportunity to help such a great program. Even if you’re not able to mentor a child, this is a great way to help so many Miami County children,” Lewis said. In addition, to the Loan Sharkettes, First Option also fielded two other teams of members from surrounding communities.

And wearing a sling after a recent surgery, Osawatomie Pizza Hut manager Thomas Anderson still managed to send bowling balls down the lanes. “Don’t take a shot of the ball hitting the pins,” Anderson said about his accuracy, “ but this is definitely a good and fun way to help kids for a good cause and it’s fun.” Anderson’s Pizza Hut team included Bailey Buche, Jaxon Kinder, Melinda Archer, Andrea Barnes and Wenndee Kinder.

Osawatomie’s streets still stood protected Saturday, even though five representing public safety, police, and the fire fighters took time out to bowl for the kids. David Stuteville, Donnie Basore, DuWayne Tewes, Angela Peuser and Debbie Henson all agreed they couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday.

Teams from Miami and Johnson counties included the M&Ms from Spring Hill, North Point Skilled Nursing in Paola, the Miami County Attorney’s Office, Legacy Contractors LLC., Great Southern Bank, Auburn Pharmacy in Paola and Louisburg’s Broadmoor Elementary.

The Chadbots or members of the Bigs in Schools group from Louisburg High School said they were having a great time. “It’s fun every Wednesday morning, when we walk in the room to excited faces and our Littles are all excited to see us actually show up. We get together with them to do homework, mentor and just let them talk,” said Nick Stefan, a senior.

Paola’s Taylor Forge turned out with two teams — one from the shop, the other from the offices. They had made up their own blue shirts with Bowl For Kids’ Sake emblems on the sleeves.

Joleene Kingston from the Allstate Insurance’s Good Hands Bowlers said they had never put a team together. “It’s fun doing this and helping the kids. We had never done a team event before, but now this means we probably will more in the future,” Kingston said.

Employees from the Town Center Shopping Center at 119th Street and Nall On the Border said they brought the food. “This is our first time and my first time to participate in this event. This is nice and for a good charity. I am a bowler and enjoy a good time. This is a great turn out and put together well,” said James Schumann. On the Border supplied chips and salsa and the enchiladas.

The Speedy Gonzales team, two teams actually, from Paola Middle School won best costume. They also chipped in $1,000 having held bake sales at school, said seventh grade Communications teacher Cindy Dial. “We sold cup cakes, puppy chow, brownies, cookies. This year we raised a $1,000 and last year we raised a $1,000 for BBBS. Before we started the bake sale idea we didn’t raise near that much money,” Dial said.

El equipo de la Diversión or the Fun Team was made up of a group of BBBS members and families, and there was also “Just the Girls and a Boy made of friends and family from Osawatomie,” said Ruth Everhart.

Prizes, donated by a variety of sponsors, made the fun competition even more fun. Thomas Anderson won the big screen television. Paola Middle School teachers will receive a day rental on a pontoon from Jayhawk Marina for Best Costumes. Taylor Forge also won a pontoon rental and Dan Lynch’s team won for highest team score.

Lyon said there were many other prize giveaways. “Each person left with a sweet treat thank you candy bar with BBBS information,” Lyon said.

Bowl For Kids’ Sake could not have been possible without sponsor support, Lyon said. Gold sponsors included: Auburn Pharmacy, First Option Bank, Jayhawk Marina, KC Photo Booth, Legacy Contractors LLC., the Miami County Bar Association, North Point Skilled Care, Target Lawn Care, Taylor Forge Engineering Systems and Second Saturday Store.

Silver sponsors were Antisdel’s, Comfort Design HVAC, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Landmark National Bank and Mid-Am Building Supply.

Bronze sponsors were Bryan Ohlmeier Construction Co., Citizen State Bank, Dr. Ryan Sanders, Dr. Bill Whitesell, eSolutions, First National Bank, KC Court Research, Leon and Pat Briley, Louisburg Cider Mill, Peoples Bank, Reliance Label Solutions, WEB Contracting, Walmart Distribution Center and White’s Automotive.

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