Chatham’s Bill Labadie is in training.
On May 10, the supporter of Community Living Chatham-Kent (CLCK) will hold his personal bowl-a-thon to raise money for the organization.
It involves bowling for seven hours straight for the cause.
“I just wanted to raise money for Community Living. It’s important. They helped me out a lot,” Labadie told The Chatham Voice. “I’m doing it for the kids.”
The avid bowler said the funds raised will help send children to camp and support programs for youth at CLCK.
“It makes me feel good too,” Labadie added. “It’s very important to me because I’m doing it for Community Living. It means a lot to me and I’m doing it for the community.”
Supporter Greg Gore said Labadie is on a mission.
“It’s a personal mission of Bill’s. When he was younger, he never got an opportunity to go to camp,” he said. “So the funds he raises go towards camping.”
That mission is pure focus on the day of the bowl-a-thon, according to Doreen Furness, another supporter.
“He never takes a break,” she said of his seven hours of bowling. “He doesn’t stop to drink anything or eat anything. He just goes. He’s on a mission.”
In 2019, his last time running his fundraiser, he bowled 50 games in seven hours, hitting 132 strikes and 170 spares in the process. More importantly, he raised $6,077.
To date, with pre-pandemic bowl-a-thons taking place in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Labadie has raised more than $10,000.
Jenny McGregor, manager of community relations at CLCK, said Bowlerama has long supported Community Living and its clients.
“The thing we really strive for is to provide inclusive opportunities, and so doing this is a perfect testament to that,” she said. “And the community rallies around Bill. It’s just incredible.”
To prepare for the extended bowling effort, Labadie can be spotted twice a week seeking to throw strikes and build stamina at Bowlerama.
“I just practise on my own,” he said.
Bowlerama doesn’t charge Labadie to practise, and they also donate two lanes the day of the event, Furness said.
“The alley really backs Community Living as well,” she said.
Labadie will take to the lanes for his bowl-a-thon from noon to 7 p.m. on May 10 at Bowlerama in Chatham.
Anyone wishing to support Labadie in his effort can drop off pledges at CLCK’s offices at 650 Riverview Dr. in Chatham or come to the event.
