2024 Bowl for Kids Recap
2024 Bowl for Kids Recap
Cowboy hats, boots, and chaps took over the bowling alley as Big Brothers Big Sisters’ annual Bowl for Kids event raised more than $110,000 to help match kids in our community with mentors. This festive round-up was held at Highland Lanes in Austin on April 19 and 20 where everyone enjoyed a western-themed bowling party to celebrate raising money for a great cause.
“What a fun time! It was wonderful to see donors, families, and matches all having a blast,” said Lauren Alexander-Labahn, BBBS VP of Development. “There is truly nothing else like Bowl for Kids. It is one of our signature fundraising events that allows us to provide more kids with the mentoring relationships they need and deserve. Everyone gets into the spirit of the event wearing original costumes and enjoying the team camaraderie while making a lasting difference in our community. Bowl for Kids is a win-win for everyone.”
It was the “Best of the West” as participants donned their best western gear and came out to bowl. Two hundred people participated, including twenty-five fundraising teams, as well as several BBBS Bigs and Littles. Bowl for Kids is an annual event where participants fundraise and then enjoy a themed bowling party that includes food, drinks, games, photos, souvenirs, and prizes.
“I was so proud to be spearheading this year’s 41st annual Bowl for Kids event,” said Brandon Christensen, Bowl for Kids Chair. “This was my 21st year bowling for such a great cause and the turnout and support was overwhelming. I was so excited to learn we hit $110,000 and it was all thanks to the staff, volunteers, and generous donors!”
One of those special donors was The Goddard Foundation which agreed to match Bowl for Kids donations up to $20,000 during the final week of the event. For each donation made, the Foundation provided a match, thereby doubling the value of these gifts and turning $20,000 into $40,000!
The event space was decorated with bandanas, tiny cowboy hats and light-up cacti as bowlers made their way to the bowling lanes. There were also plenty of snacks and goodies for each team to enjoy along with free pizza.
Of course, the bowlers were decorated as well, wearing cowboy hats, boots, leather fringe jackets, and of course their own bandanas. A few even got into the “black hat” spirit by sporting fake mustaches and riding stick horses. One bowler even created her own horse costume, for which she received a special bowling pin award.
During each bowling timeslot, teams also received awards for the best individual costume, best team costume, most spirited team, and the biggest fundraisers.
A number of teams also achieved VIB (Very Important Bowler) status for raising more than $1,250 – the amount needed to fund a match for an entire year. Our VIB teams included The Bowlers of Buster Scruggs, PD Laneblazing Bandits, Shadow IT Services, The Pinheads, Wild West Wranglers, 10 Pin Shooters, Bumper Bowling Legends, BuildASign BuildABowlers, Austin SHRM, and Boot Scootin’ Bowlers.
Overall, there were teams representing the Banking, Printing, Engineering, Construction, IT Services, Human Resources, Real Estate, and Investment industries as well as teams from the Gamers and Designers, and Media industries.
Essential to the event’s success, Bowl for Kids 2024 sponsors included Kingpin Sponsor RSM; plus, ARM, Highland Lanes, HDR, Sequel Data Systems, Inc., Canvas Press, Denver Dunlap Real Estate, Guerra Underground LLC, and Charles Schwab. In-kind sponsors included The Austin Chronicle, Community Impact Newspaper, KVUE and KXAN.
This year’s bowlers may have ridden off into the sunset, but the impact of BBBS’ 2024 Bowl for Kids event will last for months and years to come. Funds raised go to pairing more BBBS kids with mentors, and changing their lives for the better, forever.
See event photos HERE
