Great day for kids in need

Ettalong Bowling Club Representative, Ken Dixon, and Umina Blue Swimmers Representative, Gary McNamara, at the Charity Bowls event

BOWLS –

Every third Sunday of each month, Ettalong Bowling Club hosts a charity bowls event, raising money for Central Coast Kids in Need.

The November event was attended by 42 and it was the first one since lockdown ended.

The Umina Blue Swimmers turned up in big numbers and donated $1,000 to Central Coast Kids in Need, and the Bowling Club raised a further $890.

Bendigo Bank also donated $15,000 – the Ettalong, East Gosford and Wyong branches each pitching in $5,000.

This brings the total raised on the day to $22,000 for Kids in Need, and Ettalong Bowling Club donated a further $7,500 from the Club’s Grant Allocation.

Bill Randall won The Spider after slipping his bowl under the Spider.

The winning rink was won by Bob Pickard, Anita Higgins and Phil Dunn.

The Wednesday Bowlers Hampers was won by John Fisher.

Bob Willis did a great job with the food, dishing up cold meat and salads to attendees.

There were also plenty of raffle prizes on display and plenty of big winners.

Ettalong Bowling Club Representative, Ken Dixon said “Central Coast Kids in Need raises money to assist families who have seriously ill children with prolonged illnesses.

“Most of these children are cancer patients, transplant recipients and premature babies with life threatening illnesses.

“The money raised from the charity bowls will be used to cover the costs of accommodation at Ronald McDonald House and Parent Hostel Rooms while the children receive treatment.

“These funds will also be used to cover travel costs, equipment requirements and pharmacy accounts.

“Kids in Need is the only charity that the charity bowls donated to, but the Club itself donate to many other charities and organisations such as Coast Shelter and Woy Woy Rugby Club,” Dixon said.

Central Coast Kids in Need is a small volunteer group 20 fundraisers who in the financial year of 2019-20, assisted 345 with $467,451 paid out to cover accommodation, high-cost prescriptions items, specialised formulas, quality of life equipment and travel expenses.

Over the past 15 years, Central Coast Kids in Need has supported 2,983 families, and outlaid in excess of $3.76M.

The next charity bowls day at Ettalong Bowling Club will be held on December 12.

Harry Mulholland