By Casey Oliver

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Abilene is inviting students to the seventh annual College Bowl For Kids’ Sake competition Saturday to raise funds for their program.

The team-bowling event, which will take place at the Abilene Bowling Lanes, will include door prizes, pizza and T-shirts.

Each team will consist of five members, and members are encouraged to raise $350 to cover the team entry fee, although the fee is not required for participation. Intramural points will also be awarded to participants.

Michelle Parrish, corporate partnerships coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Abilene, said the event was a success last year.

“We had 22 teams compete last year,” she said. “We were able to raise a lot of funds from them.”

Parrish said there are only six teams signed up to participate, and she hopes to get more teams by Saturday.

“This is one of our most important fundraisers,” she said.

Parrish said 100 percent of the money raised at the event – the organization’s final fundraiser of the year – supports the matching of college students with children.

Kirby McErlane, junior family studies major from Sugar Land, said she appreciates the donations of others.

“It’s wonderful that people we don’t necessarily know are willing to financially support us,” McErlane said. “It shows the compassion that our community has for others who are in need.”

Volunteers and contributors may be donating to the organization, Parrish said, but the kids’ lives show the real difference.

“The kids are so appreciative of the donations,” Parrish said. “They hand-write thank you notes, and it’s encouraging that they understand outside financial support.”

College students may not have the time to be mentors, but they can give back to their local community during this event, according to the press release.

The event will take place from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. Students can visit the event’s Web site at www.westtxbowl.kintera.org for more information or to register a team.