Bowl for Kids Sake campaign underway
NEW GLASGOW — The annual Bowl for Kids campaign is off and running. A major fundraiser for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Pictou County, which is marking its 40th year in the county in 2020, this year’s event will take place April 4 at the Heather Bowling Lanes. “Our goal this year is to raise $65,000 and we hope to do that with 100 teams,” said executive director Margie Grant-Walsh, who added that so far about 30 teams have committed to Bowling for Kids. In 2019, about $68,000 was raised by the teams, money that stays in Pictou County and is used to fund the group’s mentoring programs. The campaign kicked off Feb. 14 at the organization’s New Glasgow base with an open house and coffee and breakfast treats. Bob Curley and Stacey Murphy are the honorary chairpersons this year. “We chose them because of their relationship with Big Brothers/Big Sisters,” said Grant-Walsh. “Bob was on the founding board and Stacey was a little sister.” A total of 17 schools in Pictou County are involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and its in-school mentoring program. While the Bowl for Kids itself is a big fundraiser, the organization also uses it as a way to promote the need for mentors. “We try to stress the need — the absolute need we have — in having more mentors, especially males,” she said. The average wait for a little brother is two years “and that’s a long time to wait for a match,” Grant-Walsh added. For more information on how to take part in this year’s event, visit www.pictoucounty. bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.