Carla Clark | For The Republic Bowlers during Bowl for Kids Sake a Foundation for Youth fundraising event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bartholomew County hosted by Columbus Bowling Center, Columbus, Ind., Saturday, March 2, 2024.
Community members will come together this weekend to knock down some bowling pins, and raise money for a local nonprofit focused on providing mentors for young people.
Bowl For Kids Sake (BFKS) is an annual fundraiser organized by Foundation for Youth where 100% of money raised helps support Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Bartholomew County’s mentoring programs.
It will take place over two days today and Sunday at the Columbus Bowling Center, but individuals and teams have already been raising money in hopes of reaching a $100,000 goal.
“Truly, what this fundraiser is about is our community lifting one another up, because it runs deep throughout our entire area that we live,” said Kelley Backmeyer, BBBS Bartholomew County program director. “It’s just a really fun, collaborative, energetic community celebration.”
BBBS is the oldest and largest youth mentoring program in the United States and pairs adults with children in an effort to provide positive role models.
“It’s a zero-fee based program, so our Littles do not pay for anything, our families do not pay for anything,” Backmeyer said. “We work really, really hard for our volunteers to not have to go into their pockets to pay for outings. We like to provide those things for them when they’re building those developmental relationships.”
Each year BFKS recognizes top teams, as well as top individual fundraisers. Currently, Backmeyer said they’re just over halfway to their $100,000 goal.
“They have worked extremely hard raising money for their actual team, and there’s just been some really fun, unique, collaborative names that some of these people have come up with this year,” Backmeyer said. “We’re hoping for two really good, solid days and a lot of fun and celebration.”
Bigs and Littles will be there bowling too, and testimonies will be given talking about the impact BBBS can have.
Last year, Bella Nickerson, then an eighth-grader at Northside, raised nearly $10,000 by organizing creative fundraisers at BCSC’s elementary schools. Nickerson hopes to reach the same goal this year and is involved as an individual and as a team in the “kidscommons Totti Terrors.”
The creativity in team names is a reoccurring theme. Backmeyer mentioned the entry of the “Clean Sweepers,” made up of BCSC custodial staff. Others include Team Centra’s “Dolls with Balls” and United Way of Bartholomew County’s “Mary Mark & the Funky Bunch.” Presumably, United Way President Mark Stewart is Marky Mark in this scenario with staff making up the Funky Bunch.
The Columbus Police Department has been involved in the event in the past, and this year has two teams fundraising.
Sgt. Skylar Berry, CPD’s public information officer, said the department has a neck-and-neck competition going between officers and civilian staff for the fundraiser. “Pin Patrol,” the officer’s team is currently behind CPD’s civilian staff team, “Spare a Civilian,” by about $200. CPD has 88 officers and 11 civilian staff, made up of records specialists, criminal analysts, parking enforcement and crossing guards, to name a few.
Those who can’t attend the event in person can opt to become “virtual bowlers” where they participate just through fundraising. The best way to support, Backmeyer said, is to go to foundationforyouth.com and click on the large banner at the top of the page.
The program has created 109 quality matches, but there are about 70 kids still on the wait list in need of mentors, Backmeyer said.
Those interested in becoming a Big can find out more and sign up by going to foundationforyouth.com, and selecting Big Brother Big Sisters under the programs tab.
