Bowl for Kids’ Sake: Employee Engagement
Entering the third year of a global pandemic, keeping employees engaged can sometimes feel impossible. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters is back at the bowling alley and welcomes your company to join us! Get employees back together in a fun and impactful way by registering for Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2022!
WHAT IS BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE?
Bowlers (serious and less serious) raise $60 individually or $300 for a 5-person team (minimum; $360 for a 6-person team) and then join Big Brothers Big Sisters for a bowling party to celebrate their successful fundraising. Nearly 100 companies participate in one of nine bowling parties in Kalamazoo, Allegan, and Calhoun counties in February, April and May.
Some companies choose to pay for their employees’ participation, while other companies’ staff fundraise on their own. No matter what, it’s a fun, team-building activity!
KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES ENGAGED
When your company participates in Bowl for Kids’ Sake, you get a chance to have fun as a team outside of work, and you ignite the potential of youth who participate in our mentoring programs. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is an employee engagement and team building opportunity that highlights your company’s commitment to the community.
“Our employees had the opportunity to gather and build comradery in a fun and competitive way outside of work, while also living out our commitment to the Kalamazoo community,” said Hannah Tabb the Operations Specialist at Lighthouse, an Alera Group Company. Their employees won the coveted Traveling Trophy at the 2021 Bowl for Kids’ Sake: Cornhole Edition event.
Each year, this prize is awarded to the business or organization with the highest fundraising total.
Toni Jones, the Director of Community Outreach at Amerifirst Home Mortgage notes, “It’s a fun way of living our organization’s core values, and it’s all led by our employees. You can use Bowl for Kids’ Sake to promote a healthy work culture while simultaneously giving back to your community.” Amerifirst’s bowlers have been among the top fundraisers for multiple years, taking home the Traveling Trophy twice.
IMPACT LOCAL YOUTH
Funds raised sustain the work of matching children who we call “Littles” with dedicated, caring mentors we call “Bigs.” The event’s funds also help provide ongoing support to the Little, Big and the Little’s family for the entire time they are paired. Over 200 young people in Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Allegan, and Van Buren counties were matched with a Big in 2021.
“It’s a great opportunity to serve our local community,” said Sue Prudden, an HR employee at Western Diversified Plastics, who had over 50 bowlers (11 teams!) in the 2019 Bowl for Kids’ Sake event. They took home the Traveling Trophy that year.
TIPS FOR NEW COMPANY TEAMS
“Plan and communicate in advance!” Hannah encourages. “The more people involved, the more it can encourage healthy competition. Don’t be afraid to tap into a competitive spirt, as it can foster team building and makes it more fun!”
Sue agrees. “We give our employees t-shirts and prizes for the best bowling score. Open it up to families and kids too. The more people you have, the more it fosters that competitive spirit.”
GET YOUR BOWLING TEAMS TOGETHER
Shine a spotlight on your company’s culture and your most engaged employees. Discuss Bowl for Kids’ Sake at your next staff meeting and see if there’s any interest. The flyer here might help. You never know who might have their own Big Brothers Big Sisters story.
Plan now for the Spring events! Bowl for Kids’ Sake is more than a fundraiser: for many bowlers, it is a tradition. Most importantly it celebrates the power of mentoring, a cause that will always be worth rolling for.
Learn more and register your teams for Bowl for Kids’ Sake today.
Questions? Email Melissa Janecke, Bowl for Kids’ Sake Coordinator at Bowl@bbbsmi.org.
