Despite ordering extra pancakes this year, the Big Brother Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake launch on Friday morning at the NSCC campus in Stellarton barely had enough to meet demand as dozens of people came out to eat and learn more about the annual fundraiser.
“I would say it had to be 200 people came through. Lots of people registered,” said BBBS of Pictou County director Margie Grant-Walsh. “It was amazing.”
It bode wells for the long-standing fundraiser which is a key financial contributor to the organization’s programs. Bowl for Kids traces its roots back to the 1970s when it was known as Bowl for Millions. At the time it was only expected to have a five-year lifespan but surpassed expectations. In Pictou County it’s been held for 38 years and even longer in other parts of the country.
“I think it’s successful because it’s not just a fundraiser,” said Grant-Walsh. “It’s a community event. It’s fun. People have the opportunity to come out and feel like they’re contributing in a way that they’re making a difference. I think that resonates with a lot of people.”
This year’s honorary chair of the event is Henderson Paris who founded the Run Against Racism.
“He’s worked with youth so much, it was such a perfect fit,” said Grant-Walsh.
She said they would love to see 100 teams and have set a fundraising goal of $55,000.
Organizers expect to see a bump-up over last year’s total coming from local schools. Last year Bowl For Kids couldn’t fundraise in the schools as they had in the past because of the work-to-rule, which resulted during the teacher’s strike with the Province of Nova Scotia.
“We weren’t able to do our school challenge but so far this year we have almost all the schools back on board,” she said.
In the past, the schools have contributed close to $10,000.
The money raised from the event will go, as it has in the past, to ensuring that youth are matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister.
“We served 298 kids last year and we have about 205 on the waiting list,” Grant-Walsh said. “We want to make sure those kids are matched.”
Demand is high for all their programs including in school mentoring and peer mentoring in the high schools. BBBS is also doing group programming in some schools and just recently hired a youth outreach worker.
“She serves 16- to 18-year-old youth that are in need of a service, which could be anything from crisis to perhaps they need someone to help them job search or make a resumé. Maybe they need a drive to a medical appointment and don’t have a car. All those things.”
This year’s Bowl For Kids Sake will be held on April 7 at the Heather Bowling Lanes in New Glasgow. For more information call the office at 902-752-6260 or visit bbbsofpc.com.
