The bowlers of Westlock have once again outdone themselves, raising $11,043 that will go towards patient care at the Barrhead Community Cancer Centre.
Westlock Bowl started its annual Bowl for Cancer fundraiser in the second week of January and wrapped up the pledge drive Feb. 2. Westlock Bowl owners Don and Susan Cloutier were in Barrhead last week to present the cheque to the cancer centre.
This is the third year the event has gone on under the couple and the seventh since it started under the former owners Carolyn and Garth Kohlsmith.
This year’s theme was humour, health and healing.
“If you’re laughing, you’re going to heal faster,” said Susan Cloutier. “We keep it all on the lighter side, although we know it’s a terrible disease.”
Every year at the end of the pledge drive, Westlock Bowl opens its doors to its bowlers as a way of saying thanks for their efforts in supporting such an important cause.
“We’ll continue to do it, provided our bowlers want to do it,” said Cloutier. “It’s going to a cause that is fairly local and some of our bowlers have used the cancer centre. We’re just raising awareness to say ‘Hey, this is right here at your back door.”
“I want to thank our bowlers for their efforts and the businesses that sponsored. We had a lot of fun.”
The event has raised well over $100,000 for the cancer centre and the Canadian Cancer Society since its beginning in 2011.
“For us, it’s good. With the way the economy is, this is great. We’re happy for sure,” Cloutier said.
“It’s not something we do for recognition, it’s just something we do. If we can make it more comfortable for someone, that’s the purpose I guess.”
