The crash of bowling pins and laughter might sound like an ordinary night out, but for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Manhattan, Bowl for Kids’ Sake symbolizes something deeper. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 7, BBBS Manhattan will host the annual event at the Union Bowling Center inside Kansas State’s Student Union.
After the COVID-19 pandemic halted all in-person gatherings, not only for BBBS Manhattan but for everyone, the organization reintroduced Bowl for Kids’ Sake locally last year.
“Bowl for Kids’ Sake has been around for over 30 years,” Michelle Sink, area director for BBBS in Riley, Geary, Pottawatomie and Lyon counties, said. “It’s a nationwide event that happens at different times throughout the year in different communities.”
While this means that Bowl for Kids’ Sake can look different throughout the country, the core concepts are all the same. The main goal is to raise funds to sustain BBBS of America, but that goal feeds into many others at the same time.
“The money that we raise goes into things like background checks and providing interviews for new volunteers and also the families that we’re enrolling,” Sink said. “It supports match supervision and safety as well.”
Despite the name, however, bowling scores are not the focus of the event. Instead, teams made up of businesses, student groups or individuals in the community raise money through crowdfunding efforts before gathering for the themed bowling event — this year’s being inspired by the upcoming Super Bowl.
Participants can earn prizes for both fundraising and bowling, but BBBS Manhattan emphasizes that the event’s real value lies in the building of connections throughout the community. Bowl for Kids’ Sake offers an accessible, family-friendly environment that sets it apart from other fundraising events that might be more adult-focused, like golf tournaments or formal community gatherings.
“I think this one is a bit more community-minded, where kids can come,” Sink said. “We have the Manhattan Annual Golf tournament, and that typically tends to be more for community members. I feel like Bowl for Kids’ Sake is one that college students and all members of the community can get involved in together.”
While recent challenges — namely, a fire that affected the BBBS Manhattan’s office space — could have posed setbacks, Melissa Soldan, development director for BBBS Manhattan, both said the community response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Since a couple weeks ago, the theme for the year transitioned a little bit from continuing to grow to rebuilding,” Soldan said. “We’ve had more people reach out asking what they can do, and one of the things we’ve offered is to have a team for Bowl for Kids’ Sake.”
Ultimately, Bowl for Kids’ Sake is more than just a fundraising effort; it serves as a way to invest in the future of Manhattan — the children who call the city “home.”
“When we invest in these kids, then that’s really investing in the future of what Manhattan looks like,” Sink said.
Contact Sink via phone at 785-422-9530 or through email at [email protected] to learn how to get involved.