Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 14, 1990                   TAG: 9003133169
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Kim Sunderland
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

BOWLING BENEFIT WILL HELP TO RECRUIT BIG BROTHERS, SISTERS

"That's the gross goal we want to reach," said Dee Strauss, president of the board of directors. "This fund-raiser accounts for approximately half of our yearly budget, so it's quite a big deal."

Big Brothers and Big Sisters is helped in part by the United Way, and officials hope to increase the staff this year to double the number of matches between volunteers and kids.

With another part-time caseworker, 30 other children, mostly from single-parent homes, can be matched with adults for guidance and companionship. A couples program and sexual-abuse program also are being used by the organization.

"We have 30 to 40 kids on our waiting list," said Executive Director Susan Roop Gibas. "And we'd like to expand to other towns outside of Montgomery County and the city of Radford."

"Bowl For Kids' Sake" is a bowling marathon Sunday through March 24 at Triangle Lanes in Christiansburg. Bowlers who sign up obtain sponsors who pledge money per pin or at a flat rate.

A pledge of 5 cents per pin against a bowling score of 100 equals a $5 contribution. Or a sponsor can pledge $20 no matter how many pins are knocked down. And it doesn't matter how well, or how poorly, one bowls.

Money raised will support recruitment and screening of volunteers and will provide a professional staff to monitor the kids and their big brothers and sisters.

Earlier this month, bowlers at Radford University and Virginia Tech raised about $6,300 for the program. League bowlers, junior league Bowlers and Triangle Day, an open day on which anyone can bowl, will close out the fund-raiser.

The big day is March 24, during Triangle Day, when teams bowl for an hour between 1 and 4 p.m. Channel 10 weather forecaster Cindy Farmer will be on hand with door prizes.

Bowlers, who bowl for free, will be awarded prizes according to the number of paid sponsors. To qualify for the random drawing for the grand prize microwave over, all money must be turned in by 5 p.m. April 20.

Banks, schools, churches and other organizations are gathering teams to raise money for the organization.

Despite the current economy, Strauss believes people are still willing to support the Big Brothers organization.

Call the agency at 381-0300 for information and to obtain pledge sheets.