Bowl Over Cancer
Boddington Bowls Club has spent a decade raising money for the Cancer Council in Western Australia which now totals over $70,000 Boddington Bowling Club, on the outskirts of Perth in Western Australia, is punching well above its weight when it comes to fundraising.
With only 50 bowling members, their efforts fundraising over the past decade has been nothing short of outstanding.
In 2007, the club started running a “Bowl Over Cancer” day to raise funds for the Cancer Council of WA – in fact, every cent of profit for the day goes to the Cancer Council.
After a slow start in 2007 which saw the club raise $1,000 with 34 bowlers attending the day, little did they know what it would become.
The 2016 event has just attracted 208 entrants in 52 teams of fours and a huge $22,000 was donated to the Cancer Council of WA!
Players were encouraged to don interesting outfits rather than your regular everyday bowls gear, and the focus of the day was fun and inclusiveness, everyone was welcome and it was a huge success.
George Batt, instigator of the event and member of the club, has a true passion for community events that can raise awareness, educate people and generally bring people together for a common cause; the cause here is the fight to cure cancer.
The generosity of local volunteers as well as the community as a whole, including businesses in the area was phenomenal.
Advertising the event, preparing posters, goods donated or provided at cost, the cooks on the BBQ and the spit, to those that manned the bar or prepared meals in the kitchen; they were all so crucial to a successful day.
Boddington would like to thank teams that came from far and wide to be part of the event; Quindanning, Waroona, Cowaramarup, Williams, Mandurah and Perth.
Each year there are more and more players wanting to be part of this great event.
The grand total raised since 2007 now stands at just over $70,000, an incredible achievement and testament to the fact that things can start slow and build to amazing successes.
To all clubs that are looking to start a programme, or start an event, don’t be put off if it starts slowly, push ahead and give it your all to succeed; who knows what can happen?
Years of fund raising:
2007 – 34 players – $1,000
2008 – 45 players – $1,800
2009 – 12 teams (48 players) – $2,400
2010 – 40 teams (160 players) – $4,259
2011 – 44 teams (176 players) – $4,000
2012 – 48 teams (192 players) – $4,500
2013 – 48 teams (192 players) – $7,200
2014 – 48 teams (192 players) – $13,093
2015 – 40 teams (160 players) – $12,665
2016 – 52 teams (208 players) – $22,000
