Businesses bowl for Butler Downtown
BUTLER TWP — The fourth year of the “Bowl for Butler” event saw no sign of slowing down, as teams from across the county gathered at Family Bowlaway Fun Center on Sunday, March 23.
The event was a fundraiser for Butler Downtown, a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Main Street and downtown areas of Butler.
Twenty-six lanes were occupied by teams of varying sizes. Players lounged, chatted and bowled to their hearts’ content as they dined on pizza and sipped soft drinks and adult beverages.
Alongside proceeds on all sales during the time slot, Butler Downtown hosted a plethora of fundraising activities such as 50-50 and basket raffles.
Another event was a card game, where entrants paid $5 to pick a facedown card off a board. Whoever picked the correct card would receive $100. The event raised between $8,000 and $10,000, according to Jordan Grady, president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.
For the skillful bowlers at the event, prizes were available for the highest male and female scorer, as well as the first person to achieve a turkey — three strikes in a row.
Audrianna Bly, president of Butler Downtown, said the event serves as one of the largest fundraisers for the organization.
“All the money we raise here goes back to the downtown community,” Bly said. “It can be for different project we’re working on, or if there are different nonprofits that might need money, we can donate those funds to help them.”
Kevin Caparosa, owner of Family Bowlaway, said he believes the center to be the perfect venue for “Bowl for Butler.”
“We’re probably the only facility large enough to be able to house everything at one time,” he said. “We also love supporting the community. We want to support the people who support us.”
Johnny’s Distillery, located on Main Street in Butler, had four players on its lane, including Zane Gagliardi, who scored an impressive 215. Owner Sherry Lynn explained why she wanted the distillery to have a presence at the event, a sentiment echoed by other businesses.
“It’s a great chance to get out and support other businesses along Main Street,” Lynn said. “We want to give back to the community we’re a part of.”
Butler County Chamber of Commerce was a sponsor of the event, and Grady served as the announcer for the event. He routinely recognized sponsors and reminded attendees of ongoing raffles.
He said that events such as “Bowl for Butler” go a long way toward investing back in the downtown area.
“One of the things the chamber recognizes is the need for a good downtown. Programs and grants, such as the state’s Main Street Matters, helps. Fundraising events give the Butler Downtown a lot more money to work with,” he said.
Next up for Butler Downtown is the third year of “Sips in the City,” to be held on May 3. “Sips in the City” is an alcohol-tasting event with wineries, breweries and distilleries setting up at businesses along or near Butler’s Main Street.
For those interested in helping the organization, Bly said Butler Downtown is always looking for more hands.
“I think the biggest thing for Butler Downtown is that our board is all volunteers, and we’re always looking for more volunteers,” she said.
As for next year, Butler Downtown hopes to find itself at the lanes again.
“I think we’re going to keep doing this,” Bly said with a smile.
