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Bowl for Cancer breaks $15K

Westlock Bowl’s fifth annual Bowl for Cancer event came to a close Jan. 31, raising $15,168 for the Barrhead Community Cancer Centre.
L-R: At the conclusion of the fifth annual Bowl For Cancer event Jan. 31 Westlock Bowl owner Don Cloutier, Alberta Cancer Foundation employee Amie St. Arnaud and Westlock
L-R: At the conclusion of the fifth annual Bowl For Cancer event Jan. 31 Westlock Bowl owner Don Cloutier, Alberta Cancer Foundation employee Amie St. Arnaud and Westlock Bowl co-owner Susan Cloutier pose with a $15,168 cheque for the Barrhead Community Cancer Centre. The money will go towards furnishing a newly-renovated wing of the centre.

Westlock Bowl’s fifth annual Bowl for Cancer event came to a close Jan. 31, raising $15,168 for the Barrhead Community Cancer Centre.

Event organizer and Westlock Bowl owner Susan Cloutier announced the news at the bowling alley’s special “pink party” on Jan. 31.

Bowl for Cancer ran throughout January with league and youth bowlers, plus teams of bowlers from businesses, collecting pledges. This year’s donations bring the event’s five-year-fundraising total to $120,350.

“The numbers are really good,” Cloutier said. “I just want to really recognize our bowlers for basically stepping up and coming forward and doing this. I just want to recognize their efforts.”

Bowlers turned out for three nights of bowling Jan. 15, 16 and 22. Collectively, team donations made up the bulk of the money raised, with $5,260 coming from bowlers’ pockets.

Hazel Bluff resident Chester Cunningham topped the personal donations with a whopping $1,346.

“I must have the most relatives,” Cunningham joked.

“I called a lot of my old friends and the people at Brown’s Chrysler also had some big donors.”

Cunningham’s older brother Hank passed away seven years ago after his own battle with cancer.

“It’s a worthwhile cause and with the money going to Barrhead it won’t be taken up by administration,” Cunningham said.

Second place for personal donations went to Gwen Birnie who raised $653.

The Town of Westlock was the top event fundraiser and business sponsor, bringing in over $2,300.

“I just want to say how proud I am of everybody. Things like this really put us on the map,” Westlock mayor Ralph Leriger, adding the total raised speaks volumes about the community’s generosity.

“Westlock has always been a very generous community.”

Meanwhile St. Mary School’s Grade 6 class brought in $300 worth of spare change and will enjoy their very own bowling party as a prize.

While it’s fantastic to see so much money raised locally, Cloutier added that the most important part of the event was the awareness it raises.

“Personally, to me, it’s not about the amount of money that you raise, it’s about holding an event that raises awareness that we do have people that are going through this,” Cloutier said.

“We have so many bowlers that are using [the cancer] facility, it’s great that they can just have a short drive as opposed to going to Edmonton. Keeping it local and just knowing that Barrhead does have this facility that’s top notch for cancer treatment — people might not be aware of it.”

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