Youth Mentoring is Seeking Bowlers
Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hosting a bowl-a-thon on Saturday, March 19 at Skyline Lanes in Decorah. This event aims to raise $7,000 to connect youth in Allamakee, Howard, and Winneshiek counties with a mentor. Currently, 75 people are involved in Youth Mentoring at Helping Services. Now is the time to strike up a conversation with your friends, neighbors, club members, and co-workers to form a team to bowl. All proceeds support those youth and adults being friends in mentoring. You can be involved in two important ways; register to bowl and/or donate to the cause.
Registration is now open at www.helpingservices.org/YMBOWL. Form a team of four members or sign up to bowl individually and Helping Services will pair you with others. Anyone can bowl at this event. Bowlers do not have to be associated with mentoring to bowl. Bowling times are 10:00 a.m., 12:00 pm, and 2:00 p.m. Bowlers are asked to register by Friday, March 11 to get their preferred bowling time. After registering, bowlers are asked to seek donations of $25 or more to support the mission of Youth Mentoring. Donations can be collected in person and online. Those collecting more than $25 will be recognized in a special way at the event.
“The Bowl-A-Thon is a great opportunity for community members to gather with their family, co-workers, friends, and neighbors while raising money for a great cause and have fun bowling,” states Kathy Schwartzhoff, Mentoring Coordinator at Helping Services.
If bowling isn’t up your alley, you can still be involved. Donate online at www.helpingservices.org/YMBOWL or mail to PO Box 372, Decorah, IA. You can also contribute when a bowler asks you to support their team. Your contribution is tax-deductible, and it gives many area youth a person who supports them and creates opportunities for them to experience new things.
Thank you to the area businesses that have already contributed over $4,000 towards the $7,000 goal. Sponsors donating $500 are Family Table Restaurant, Mabe’s Pizza, and State Farm. Scott and Stacey Gossling share, “Family Table has a long history of supporting Youth Mentoring. We love that our investment supports kids in the area and the families we serve!”
Sponsors contributing $300 include Randy’s CARQUEST Auto Parts, Decorah Bank & Trust & Cresco Bank & Trust, Gundersen Health System, Harman Realty, Kelly Real Estate, Marine Credit Union, Thrivent Financial, Winneshiek Medical Center, and Ziegler CAT.
Sponsors donating $100-$250 include Burke Real Estate, CUSB Bank, Decorah Lions Club, Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank, Cheri Lane, Perry Novak Electric, David and Julie Olson, Reicks View Farms, and Waukon State Bank & Viking State Bank. Five additional businesses and one individual have also contributed to the mission of Youth Mentoring by donating the amount that fits their pocketbook. Mentors spend a minimum of four hours per month with their youth just being their friend. Mentors can be individuals, couples, and/or families. Short-term mentoring opportunities, which are a great way to get started, are also available and help provide rich experiences for area youth. Mentors can spend time with their youth in the community doing things they enjoy together or they can meet them for one hour per week at their school in Decorah, Cresco, New Albin, and Lansing.
For more information on how you can become involved in this rewarding volunteer opportunity or how you can be part of this fun-filled day of bowling, contact Kathy or Colinne at mentoring@helpingservices.org or (563) 387-1720.
