Letter: Bowl for YPALS event is Saturday

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Come out to Oxford Bowl on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. and support the Y Pals Mentoring Program by bowling in the 19th annual Bowl for Y Pals.

Since 1972, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) has provided a mentoring program for young people in Worthington. This program has been called Y Pals since 1999. I’d like to thank Al Recker and Wayne Klumper for having the foresight and energy to step up and create a program geared to reach youths and provide them with adults to serve as mentors. Young people are matched with screened adult mentors at no cost to them or anyone; Y Pals is completely supported by the YMCA through funds by the United Way and the Strong Kids Campaign. The other way we continue to support this program is through the generous donations, sponsoring businesses and fundraising events like the Bowl for Y Pals. You can support these youths and their mentors by bowling or sponsoring someone to bowl.

Bowlers seek out donations and need to raise at least $25 to bowl. Teams of four compete in two matches of “9 Pin no Tap” bowling, and there are trophies for high scores. There is a group fundraising traveling trophy that was won last year by the Worthington Specialty Clinic, but they will have more than a difficult time defending their title from the YMCA group this year.

The last thing I want to do is thank everyone who makes up Y Pals — from those businesses who have been sponsors for the RegattaWalk & 5-Mile Run and the Bowl for Y Pals, the people who have participated in these events, the committee that works with me, all the mentors current and past, the parents and guardians and the young people we serve. Thank you!

Tags: opinion, ymca, worthingtonymca, bowl, ypals