Smoky Lanes and community supports "Knockdown Cancer"
Richard Froese
Express Staff
Over 50 people rolled and bowled at Smoky Lanes Bowling Centre in Girouxville in the first annual nation “Knockdown Cancer” tournament under Bowl Canada to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.
“For our first tournament, we had a good turnout. It was better than we expected,” says Pat Rempel, general manager of the bowling facility that opened last September.
“Knockdown Cancer” attracted 16 teams with 54 bowlers, which included 42 ladies with and 12 men.
Donate until Feb. 14 to fight back against cancer
“The fundraising event continues until Feb. 14, so we won’t have final totals until after that,” Rempel explains.
Tickets are still available for $1 each in the raffle for a set of pink neon bowling balls with the words HOPE and CURE and for a pink heat bowling bag for the balls, valued at $175.
While four cancer survivors threw the first balls, almost everyone participated in the memorial ball.
“We gave out ribbons to those who are survivors and those who have been touched by cancer,” says Rempel.
“There were just too many people who have been affected by cancer and we ran out of memorial ribbons.”
“I would have needed over 50 just to give each person one and that in itself is very sad.”
Accepting donations throughout January and into mid-February for the Canadian Cancer Society as part of the promotion, Smoky Lanes staff welcomes and appreciates generous local support.
“Next year, the tournament will be expanded over the weekend and we had also received suggestions that there will be a stronger emphasis on getting the business community involved as sponsors,” says Rempel.
Winning teams included:
First – Sylvianne Rizcu, Viola Marcoux, Doris Dumont, and Dustin Thompson.
Second – Yvette Houle, Lynn Florence, Jacqueline Maisonneuve and Mike Marceau.
Third – Becki Henderson, Krystle Brulotte, Wendy Brulotte, and Melissa O’Neill.
Fourth – Diane Bourassa, Genevieve Nicolet, Diane Therriault and Annette Bourassa.
About 900,000 Canadians go bowling every week and nearly all of them have been touched by cancer to one extent or another.
For more information or to donate, phone Smoky Lanes at 780-323-4244.
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