The balls were rolling and the toes were twinkling at the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Humboldt and Area.
Bowl for Kids Sake is BBBS Humboldt’s biggest annual fundraiser, which ran from Feb. 5-11 at Kemway Lanes.
Development Coordinator Jodie Hergott says they will not reach their goal of $40,000, with the lack of a major sponsor hurting their end goal. However, between 220 bowlers and 32 sponsors, Hergott says the fundraiser will hopefully bring in around $30,000 for the organization by the time all the numbers are in.
Like every year, Hergott says they are always looking for more sponsors, vehicle dealerships, including their next major sponsor.
The week also brought competition to the alley with farm dealerships, local banking institutions, and, for the first time, local schools competing for their own trophies.
Pattison Agriculture made a hard effort for first place with $3,000 raised against the other farm dealerships.
Conexus Credit Union blew the other banking institutions out of the water with $650 raised against Royal Bank, and CIBC.
Discovery Ford and Colony Motors went head to head with Ford taking home the trophy with $2,439.
Teachers from St. Augustine, Humboldt Collegiate, and Humboldt Public School were all on the lanes at the same day with a pretty close competition brewing for the highest school earner.
However, Muenster School would come in the follow day to blow them all out of the water with $3,229 raised.
Bowl for Kids Sake also included a night for bigs and littles to bowl with Humboldt Bronco players.
Eight Broncos hit the lanes with teams made up of Broncos, bigs, and littles.
Matthieu Gomercic says that for all the kids give to them, this was a great way for the team to give back.
“The community is such a big part of why we’re a team so it’s nice to give back and come support the fans that come out and cheer us on.”
Stephen Wack sees the excitement every night from kids in the community, especially when Cotton Eye Joe comes on. Even coming out of the tunnel there are always kids waiting to give them a high five or get the player of the game stick at the end of the game.
“I remember being that kid in the stands. There’s something cool about being this age to give back to them.”
Gomercic says he grew up watching Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) games and, just like Wack, he was that kid in the stands looking up to MJHL players.
“I always wanted a players stick or wanted to touch a players glove. Now that I’m in that position, to be able to give that to the kids, I know how much it means to them.”
Money raised will go towards programming for the year, including the Game On and Go Girl programs as well as maintaining local matches and getting littles off their waiting list.
Hergott noted to the bowlers throughout the week that 17 children are still on the waiting list, 14 of those being boys, and some of those littles have been waiting over a year to find their match.
