The Fun for All Playground at Central Park is hosting its third annual Bowl-A-Thon to raise funds for the expansion and improvement of its all-inclusive playground.
The Fun for All Playground is a community funded all access playground that allows everyone from those with special needs to those with a walker or wheelchair to participate. Park Publicity Chair, Lisa Aldrich, says the best thing about this playground is that everyone here and in surrounding areas can utilize the playground and no one has to sit to the side.
“A park like this meets the needs of folks in our community in so many ways," Lisa says. "We are trying to teach kids not to bully those who are different, and here at this park, they are going and playing together. It’s important because I know of people who have moved here or taken a job here because they have someone in their family with special needs that could enjoy a park like this. It really, in many many ways, benefits our community as a whole and all these families individually.”
The annual Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser event features three hours of bowling time. The first hour will be open bowling, which is like a warm-up hour. The second hour will be the “Fun for All” tournament. During this hour, the teams are competing, and prizes are awarded to the first, second and third place teams. Finally, the third and final hour will be another hour of open bowling.
“This event has a mixed purpose,” Lisa says. “It’s a fundraiser, which is great, but it also allows a lot of our special needs folks to be engaged with us and the community. Watching the teams interact with each other is truly wonderful to see.”
This is the third year of the Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser, and Lisa says they hope to have more teams participate to be able to raise more money for the park. The 2022 event featured 36 teams, 10 of which were special needs teams.
“With our Bowl-A-Thon last year, we raised a little over $20,000, almost $7,000 of that was from the silent auction,” Lisa says. “I am hoping to maybe raise $30,000 this year.”
In order to be a part of the Bowl-A-Thon, community members or businesses must be a sponsor. There are five sponsorship levels ranging from title sponsor to team sponsor, and each sponsorship includes three hours of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and drinks for a team of four.
“The largest sponsorship level is our title sponsor, which is $7,500 – H-E-B is this year’s title sponsor,” Lisa says. “We also have our $5,000 food and beverage sponsorship level, a $2,500 prize sponsorship level, our $1,250 strikes and spares sponsorship and our $300 team sponsorships. The title sponsor, food and beverage sponsor, prize sponsor and the strikes and spares sponsor receive advertising during the event.”
In addition to the bowling, there will also be a silent auction. Lisa says they currently have around 115 items in their auction, and she encourages community members to come check it out. Businesses that have donated to the silent auction include 1775 Texas Pit BBQ, Allen Honda, Brazos Valley Fair and Rodeo, Kendra Scott and Smokin’ Chisel.
“Lots of different types of businesses in our community are very engaged with this fundraiser,” Lisa says. “Everything from getting your car washed and worked on, to going out to eat somewhere, to working in the yard, to sports items, to jewelry. We have something for everyone — who knows what you might see that you’d like.”
If bowling isn’t your thing, Lisa says there are other ways to contribute to the fundraiser. Donations are always welcome, as the Fun for All Playground is an ongoing community project.
“There are plenty of things for people to do — they can help us set up the auction, run errands or sign people in,” Lisa says. “Of course, they can also participate in the auction.”
The Fun for All Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser event will take place at Grand Station Entertainment in College Station on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The event is open to people of all ages and abilities. For more information about the event or for ways you can help, contact Lisa at lisareal@suddenlink.net.
