The Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Abilene is having their ninth annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake fundraising event on Nov. 10.
Big Brothers Big Sisters matches adult volunteers with children aged 6-18 and has been in Abilene since 1978.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake, one of eight fundraising events held by Big Brothers Big Sisters, is where money raised by students of each university is given to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
The people who raise funds for Big Brother Big Sister get to put together teams for Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Each team is encouraged to raise $350.
Michelle Parrish, director of events and corporate development, said each university helps raise funds each year in various ways. At ACU, Parrish said the participation mostly comes from the social clubs.
Parrish said aside from fundraising, Bowl for Kids’ Sake is a celebration for the people affiliated with ACU, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry who participated in raising funds or volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Students from all three universities volunteer in Big Brothers Big Sisters or participate in fundraising for the program.
Parrish said ACU accounts for about 30 percent of Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great program for college students to be involved in, especially at ACU because they’re able to get Chapel credit for what they’re doing, so they can fill their own requirements for graduation, but at the same time help a kid who’s in need,” Parrish said.
Parrish and Jamie Bearden, public relations director, both said Bowl for Kids’ Sake is also a way to spread to the word of Big Brothers Big Sisters to more people.
“When we recruit Bowl for Kids’ Sake teams it’s an opportunity for us to also share our mission with these people who are helping us raise funds,” said Bearden. “There are some people who can’t volunteer, they just want to participate in Bowl for Kids’ Sake and that’s great, but there are other people who say, ‘You know what, I never even knew about Big Brothers Big Sisters until I came to Bowl for Kids’ Sake and now I want to be a volunteer.’ So it helps us spread the word and it helps get people involved at whatever level they’re able to get involved.”
