Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz Fundraiser
April 20 – 21 Boardwalk Bowl, Santa Cruz
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County is seeking bowlers of all ages and all proficiency levels to come to the 30th Annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake event on April 20 and 21 at the Boardwalk Bowl in Santa Cruz. Every year, over 800 bowlers come together in the spirit of raising funds for mentoring relationships for our local youth in need.
Individuals and groups of friends from work, schools, and organizations sign up in February and March with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to form or join a bowling team. Teams consist of five bowlers, all who are committed to each raising $120 minimum for our local youth. Asking 12 friends, neighbors, relatives, clients, or personal associates for a contribution of $10 each will take bowlers up to their goal quickly.
We already have approximately 60 teams already signed up but we have room for 200 teams. Each team will work together to create a great bowling name. Team names from the past include Sandbaggers, River Street Bowlers, the Downpins, Highrollers, Pinheads, Rockin’ Rollers, Sister Strikers, and the Alley Oops. From the team names, you can tell the level of enthusiasm that comes to the event. Teams also create challenges with other bowling teams. Challenges can be between departments, branches, schools, or individuals. We have a traditional bowling challenge between Lighthouse Bank’s Rick Hofstetter and the Seaside Company’s Charles Canfield. This fun challenge yields a $1,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters!
Team members also help each other rally to gain and exceed their set goal of raising $600 for the program. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised go to maintaining existing local Big and Little mentoring relationships as well as to the creation of potential new relationships for those on our waiting list. It takes $1,000 to make a new Big/Little relationship.
It’s Big Brothers Big Sisters 30th year operating in Santa Cruz County. Over 4,500 youth have been matched with a caring mentoring adult. These relationships offer positive opportunities for at-risk youth allowing them better chances at a bright future. Many of our mentoring relationships last a lifetime.
This year, our theme is Youth for Youth. We have over 200 youth from PCS, Georgiana Bruce Kirby, 4-H, and Spring Hill already signed up to join the fun. We are seeking high school bowling classes and clubs to combine their bowling talents with fundraising. And of course, all the middle and high school students who wish to complete their required community service hours are asked to consider accomplishing their goals by bowling with us.
Other long term Bowl for Kids’ Sake participants include Bay Federal Credit Union, Graniterock, Comerica, Wells Fargo, the Association of Realtors, the Munich Sisters, Moose Lodge, Kiwanis, First American Title Company, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, West Marine, Lighthouse Bank, Seaside, Santa Cruz County Credit Union, and Bank of America. We are excited to see our old friends back at the event and to hear from new teams from various community groups around the county.
Lane Sponsorships are $275. Sponsors will have their business name posted on a lane at Boardwalk Bowl during the month of the event. Deadline is mid-March.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County website is at santacruzmentor.org. Interested bowlers contact Julie Munnerlyn at 464-8691 for information.