TULALIP — Although the Tulalip Resort Casino’s six-hour “Virtual Bowling” tournament drew a relatively sparse turnout on March 14, event organizer Shane Warbus still deemed it a success for raising awareness of the upcoming “Cosmic Bowling” tournament that it was created to promote.
The Tulalip Resort Casino has partnered with Junior Achievement of Snohomish County for the two fundraising bowling events, designed to get the ball rolling for kids enrolled in the nonprofit’s programs.
As part of the annual Bowling Classic, a statewide event taking place on various dates throughout the spring, teams composed of members from various organizations compete in two-hour shifts at local bowling alleys. This year’s added twists include not only an afternoon of “Virtual Bowling” on Wii and Xbox at the Tulalip Resort Casino, but also a 1970s-themed costumed session of “Cosmic Bowling” organized by the Tulalip Resort Casino at Strawberry Lanes in Marysville.
“The Virtual Bowling Tournament was just a kickoff to get the word out about the Cosmic Bowling Tournament on May 28,” Warbus said. “That event is going to be crazy. We’re still working on getting prize donations, but so far we’ve raised more than $12,000 for Junior Achievement through these events. Last year’s bowling tournament at Strawberry Lanes generated $22,000 from 26 teams of four bowlers each.”
Strawberry Lanes teams will have a selection of three time slots for “Cosmic Bowling” on May 28 — from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. — and prizes will be awarded to the top three scoring groups, as well as to the best ‘70s-era team costumes. Fundraising goal entry fees are $150 per bowler, or $600 for a team of four, and there’s an additional $10 fee for shoe rental.
According to Warbus, Junior Achievement of Snohomish County is dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. This year’s Bowling Classic will raise funds to support Junior Achievement’s K-12 programs on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and will also allow more students to participate in Junior Achievement’s showcase programs — JA Biztown and JA Finance Park. The organization promotes belief in the potential of young people.
For more information, email bowling@jawashington.org or garyh@jawashington.org.
