Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County is getting the ball rolling on one of its largest fundraisers in 2010. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is scheduled for Saturday, May 8, at Oak Bowl in Oak Harbor.

Teams will bowl for fun and celebrate their accomplishment of raising money for the mentoring agency with pizza and beverages. Big Brothers Big Sisters has programs in Oak Harbor, Coupeville and South Whidbey focusing on matching caring mentors with kids from the community.

John Dyer, one of the bowl coordinators, has been helping recruit teams up and down the island. For this year’s bowling event, 28 teams have been recruited so far, representing groups from Oak Harbor to Langley. Among them are individuals, service organizations and several businesses like Cascade Insurance in Coupeville and Village Pizzeria in Langley.

Fun will be had with businesses competing to out-do each other raising money, like the teams from Albertsons and Safeway, Land Title and Stewart Title, Coldwell Banker Koetje, Island Brokers Realty and Windermere, Banner Bank and Whidbey Island Bank Bayshore, and the Oak Harbor Police and Fire departments. If you don’t know of a team personally, you can stop in to any of these businesses and donate there.

Each team has five bowlers; a team captain and four team members. Each team member must raise at last $100 to be eligible to get the limited-edition Bowl for Kids Sake T-shirt. There are still a few spots open for teams to bowl.

The community can help the teams to reach their fundraising goal by individually supporting a team or by generally donating to Big Brothers Big Sisters. People can also donate the money online at www.bbbsislandcounty.org.

“It’s safe, secure and easy,” Dyer said.

On the day of Bowl for Kids’ Sake, the teams get to bowl and eat pizza for free, and enter for chances to win raffle and door prizes, all while helping Big Brothers Big Sisters match kids and caring adults.

In its 12th year, the annual Bowl For Kids’ Sake campaign is one of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County’s largest annual fundraisers supporting the non-profit’s programs. Bowl For Kids’ Sake is a fun-filled event that provides companies and organizations the opportunity to show their support by raising dollars and awareness to support BBBSIC.

Dyer is quick to point out that this event is more than just another fundraiser.

“Bowl For Kids’ Sake presents a fantastic opportunity for a company, organization or group of friends to build team spirit while at the same time helping some of the children that need support in our community,” Dyer said.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters or the Bowl For Kids’ Sake event, contact bbbs@whidbey.net or 279-0644.