ROLLING BIG FOR MENTORING
Let’s
be honest, going back to work in January can be draining. Your staff have
bounced from Ugly Sweater parties, to trying to remember what year it is while
sinking back into weekly meetings. Keeping employees engaged feels like a
chore. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters is making it easy for your
organization join something that’s fun and impactful! Get the (bowling) ball
rolling by registering for Bowl for Kids’ Sake.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake Mission
Bowlers
(serious and less serious) raise $60 individually or $300 for a 5-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 11 bowling
parties in Kalamazoo, Allegan, Calhoun, and Van Buren counties during February
and March.
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 showcases your company’s
commitment to the community.
“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 last year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake event.
“We have always maintained a part of that culture, to give back,”
her co-worker Jill Tooman added.
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 800 young people in Kalamazoo,
Calhoun, Allegan, and Van Buren counties were matched with a Big in 2019.
Tips for New
Company Teams
“Make it fun!” Sue
exclaimed. “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.”
That competitive spirit resonates with Amerifirst Home Mortgage,
according to Toni Jones, Director of Community Outreach.
Since it was introduced in 2018, Amerifirst has held the coveted
“Travelling Trophy,” which is
awarded to the business or organization with the highest fundraising total each
year. They’d like to win again for 2020, but welcome competition.
While the competition is
exciting, it’s not why Amerifirst has embraced Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Toni
explained, “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.”
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. You never know who might have their own Big Brothers Big
Sisters story!
Plan now for January and make mentoring a part of your company’s
New Year resolution. 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’
today.
Questions? Email Avery Green, Bowl for Kids’ Sake Coordinator at Bowl@bbbsmi.org.
