Big Brothers Big Sisters hosts Executive Bowl

Eighteen leaders from area companies and organizations participated in the Executive Bowl hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids and East Central Iowa on Wednesday, December 7

^th

, 2011 at Cedar Rapids Bowling Center.

The Executive Bowl is an opportunity for companies to show their support of Big Brothers Big Sisters and help raise awareness during Bowl For Kids' Sake Week within their own companies and throughout the community.

Participating executives arrived bright and early ready to compete for the top score.  Both Wayne Flory, Rockwell Collins (Ops) and Al Ruffalo, RuffaloCody, started the competition off strong with strikes!   When Steve Myers, AEGON-Transamerica arrived, he asked if scores were based on the “Honor System,” not confident about his bowling skills.

Kathy Vorhies, Intermec, brought a mystery bowler with her as a part of Intermec's internal fundraising events. Tim Charles, Mercy Medical Center finished with a 26, which is three pins higher than his score last year.  Way to go, Tim!  With a maximum score of 30, Tom Otskey, Aegon Diversified and Chris Lindell, Guaranty Bank and Trust Co., participated in bowl-off to determine that top spot.

Chris Lindell, who arrived prepared with his own bowling bag, edged out Tom Otskey with a score of 8 to 7 and was crowned the King Pin (See Photo)!

Chris was also the winner from last year's event, so he'll be the one to watch next year.  Big Brothers Big Sisters was excited to also have leaders from many other companies and organizations participate including, John Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust), Kim Rose (Farmers State Bank), Tom Metelman and Theo Hunt (Quakers Oaks), Greg Churchill (Rockwell Collins (ISS)), Jake Koller, Kathleen Kleiman, and Kyle Wilcox (Simmons, Perrine, Moyer, Bergman, PLC), James Erickson (US Bank) and Randy Ramlo (United Fire).  Everyone had a great time and reminds us that it's really not about bowling – it's about having fun to help kids! We're looking forward to a record turnout this year at Bowl For Kids' Sake which gets underway January 19

^th

– February 16

^th

.

Call (319)-377-8993 to get involved!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids and East Central Iowa,

BeABigCR.org, provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families or households where a parent is incarcerated.  As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”).

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to facilitate the success of children living in our community by encouraging education and school attendance through providing focus in three competency areas:  Connectedness, Attendance, Resources, Extra Curricular (C.A.R.E).  Big Brothers Big Sisters has already seen that the Character Building Project is a springboard for greater success for the children served.

The Character Building Project is an initiative of Big Brothers Big Sisters to help children grow as individuals through education and exposure to a variety of competency areas.For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters contact Kathy Beardsworth at

kathyb@beabigcr.org or (319) 377-8993.