Bowling column for Tuesday, December 22, 2020
By: Bette Addington
–5thANNUAL CVM CHRISTMAS FOR KIDS – DEC. 5-13 – A SUCCESS DESPITE ALL ODDS!Thank you to all that took the time to donate, bid, or just harass the CVM guys while they did their podcast for this great annual event. If you haven’t seen the recap notice from CVM President, John Curtis, here’s what he had to say to wrap up this year’s event:“Words can’t describe how I feel today after the 5th annual Christmas for Kids fundraiser. We made the decision to move forward with an online version that we’ve never done before. We knew we had to do something but with the pandemic we could not host the normal event we are used to. We did a podcast to explain what we were doing and how it worked. It started great with big donations and gifts for the raffles and silent auction. The raffle, on the other hand, started off slow. It had us worried a little but we had faith that they would start coming in and did they! The difference before was we had a lot of people in the bowling alley participate. This year we only had a small amount of people, but they made up the difference. They dug deep and were generous with donations and gifts for the event. They bought a large amount of raffle tickets. The raffle went as smooth as it could for being online. After the silent auction bids were called, all raffles and the donations were counted. We ended up with a grand total of $5,756!! We were just as surprised as you are. We would like to thank everyone who participated. Thank you, Joey, for donating the Xbox that raised $1,000. We want to congratulate Nolan Byers for winning it!So many people to thank but we will try. First the bowling community. This is the 5thyear of this and they always come through. They donate, share, help and spend money to fund this cause. Thank you to Joey and Ashly Valenzuela, Eric Siefert, Zack Newman, Tom Marlow, Craig Dowd, Cody Lancaster, Barb Francisco, Mario Ortez, Andrew Svoren, Gabby Mayfield, Nick Pollack, Lee Hernandez, Christine Richardson, Danielle Looney, Jana Richardson, Lucy Sandoval, Katelyn Phillips, Andrea and Bill Messenger, Sally Newman, Chuck and Joanne Grove, Blaine White, Stephanie Sanders, P.T.S. Rentals, Curtis Electric, Greg’s Petroleum, Gina Moura, Mary Jane Brust and Steve Imparraguirre. The Fox Family…..and everyone who bought raffle tickets or silent auction items. I want to say thank you to Lesa Curtis for helping with this event. I know I can always count on her when I need it. Thank you to LaDonna Helton for not only spending a lot of money but donating the Lotto Board and 50/50 money back to the kids. Last, I would like to thank my CVM brothers for riding with me on this journey. Because of you guys we can do awesome things. Not just with your donations but also with your time and commitment and ideas to try and make a difference. Thank you to Chris Gregory, Greg Barraza, Jr., Ian Byers, Charles Gabriel, Rick Mathews, Robert Fox, Alex Garcia, RJ Richardson and Donnie Apple. 2020 just got a lot better for some local families!Merry Christmas and God bless – John Curtis, President, Central Valley Masters–USBC ROLLS OUT $3.5 MILLION AID PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ASSOCIATIONS AND GRASSROOTS BOWLINGNo doubt the Covid-19 shutdown that we thought was only going to take place for a couple months has grown into over eight months now with no end in sight.In an effort to help associations, USBC announced this past week the USBC Board of Directors has approved an immediate cash transfer of $1.5 million from USBC’s reserve fund to USBC local associations. An additional $200,000 will be available for state associations in the form of added prize money to their 2021 championship tournaments.According to USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy, “USBC is forecasting a 40% decline in league membership this season due to COVID-19.”The local aid program will send at least $1 per member back to all active standard USBC local associations based on 2019-19 membership totals. Standard associations with less than 500 members will receive $500 in aid while the largest USBC local association will receive about $40,000.There will be no restrictions from USBC on how funds are used for local associations. USBC will be contacting state associations to share details on how to receive the funding soon.–PBA’s FIRST EVENT OF 2021 TOUR SEASON ANNOUNCEDThe $1 Million PBA Players Championship tournament will be starting the weekend of January 15, 2021.The major event will kick off the long-awaited return of the PBA Tour competition with a revolutionary new format and a record-setting $250k first place prize on the line!For the first time, the PBA is offering all of its members the opportunity to compete for a Major Title by hosting five regional qualifying events simultaneously at different Bowlero locations around the country—Bowlero Christown in Phoenix, AZ, AMF Garland Lanes in Garland, TX, Bowlero Wauwatosa in Milwaukee, WI, Bowlero West End in Richmond, VA and AMF University Lanes in Tampa, FL.The top five players from each qualifying event will then advance to a series of five televised regional finals, all taking place at Bowlero Jupiter in Jupiter, FL, beginning Sun., January 24 through February 14 on Fox Sports FS1. The culminating sixth telecast will feature the five regional winners competing in the Championship Finals live on FOX Broadcast Channel on Sun., February 21 at 12:30pm EST.–CA STATE REGULATIONS PROLONG OPENING OF LOCAL BOWLING CENTERSUnfortunately, we were dropped back down into the purple tier. This means we need to work back into the red and then to the orange tier before bowling centers will be allowed to open. And being our numbers of positive cases are steadily climbing, it doesn’t look like we will get back into the red tier for several weeks if not a month. Guess we can call Fall leagues now Winter leagues, at best.If, and when AMF Southwest Lanes opens, Jose wanted me to share with you their updated hours of operation:Mondays – 5pm to 10pmTuesdays – 5pm to 11pmWednesdays – 1pm – 11pmThursdays – 5pm – 10pmFridays – 11am – 1amSaturdays – 1pm – 1amSundays – 1pm – 10pm–STRING MACHINES VERSUS PIN SETTERSEditors Note: I have reached out to several bowling companies for their input on this topic and am awaiting to hear back from a couple so will publish their comments on this topic in my next column. ‘Tis the season and I have only received one feedback and was hoping for two to use as a comparison.If you have information on this topic that you would like to share, (pro or con), please either email them to me (baddington@aparchitects.net) or text to me.–USBC 2021 NATIONAL CONVENTION TO BE HELD VIRTUALThe United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors voted to conduct the 2021 USBC Convention and Annual Meeting virtually due to COVID-19 concerns and frequently changing restrictions.Both were scheduled to be held at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, IL from April 26-29, 2021.An update with more details about the schedule, procedures and technology for the virtual convention will be announced by the end of January, 2021.–BAKERSFIELD SENATE OF TNBA IS LOOKING FOR MEMBERS AND RENEWING MEMBERSPlease help keep the Bakersfield Senate of TNBA active as well as helping the national TNBA organization survive during this pandemic. Their annual membership dues are $21. If you wish more information on how to join or renew, please contact Pamela Bright on her email at sputnikpamela@gmail.com or her phone at 661/703-3700.–WATCH 2021 BowlTVGet 90 events/1,600 hours of bowling coverage during 2021 by subscribing to BowlTV for $49.95 for the entire year which works out to just over $4 a month. It is now a limited-time offer as this deal will only be available until Dec. 31, 2020. Starting in 2021, the cost of an annual subscription goes back to $79.95 so don’t miss this opportunity to join BowlTV today.–MIKE MAYO UPDATEPlease keep Mike Mayo in your prayers this holiday season.And if you think about it, send my dad a text or phone call to say you’re thinking about him. He may or may not reply but encouraging words are some of the best things for him right now. PM me (Robert Mayo) to get his number if you don’t have it and would like to.Thanks again friends, bowling family and Facebook family. Enjoy the holiday season, no matter what! –Robert Mayo–LORENE ELIJAH RECOVERINGWow, this is more than a COVID-19 pandemic! Recently heard that Lorene Elijah is now at home recovering from a health crisis. Please take a moment to wish her a speedy recovery on Facebook as it is never a dull moment when Lorene is around!!–MANY THANKS TO LISA ISBELL, MJ BRUST AND FRIENDS!It is hard for me to write about something that happened to me personally, but I feel I need to reach out to all the bowlers that helped Lisa Isbell and Mary Jane Brust pull off this beautiful bowling (and car events) quilt they assembled for me to help me get through my current cancer crisis.Bless everyone who came out on a cold Saturday night a couple weeks ago to present me with this quilt. I was totally surprised as my husband, along with Lugnut Larry were with me in our ’50 Mercury taking toys and canned food items to the Salvation Army collection truck at Elks Lodge and we pulled in and I saw Nancy Weber, then Lauren Davin and I thought why would they be at a local car run Toy Drive?!?! Little did I know, they were there to present me with this quilt that they all had a hand in creating. Besides Lisa, MJ, Nancy and Lauren, there was also Joe Davin and Lorri Howell in on this freezing presentation. Thank you all as there are squares on this quilt from local bowlers like GEUSBC President Zack Long, CVM President John Curtis, Ian Byers, Jack & Michelle Dunn and a special tribute from my Monday Night Ladies league. What a thoughtful and inspiring gift!!–FOR PBA FANSIf you are a serious PBA Fan, the PBA now offers a new organization you can join called PBA Pinsiders. If you join, you will receive a PBA hat, a PBA bowling towel, a PBA water bottle, console game download, FREE game at Bowlero center and access to member-only content information. You can also get discounts like 10% off merchandise from BowlerX.com or 15% off orders $199 or more plus free shipping, or 20% off for annual Flo Bowling subscription (for new subscribers). Plus PBA Tour Events – get access to PBA event tickets early and receive free upgrades. Plus member-only content access to exclusive content from the biggest PBA stars. You’ll be the first to know breaking news of the PBA. Cost is $49.95 per year. Go to www.r2sports.com.—BOWL.COM HAS YOUR BOOK AVERAGE LISTEDWith the delay in Fall/Winter leagues getting to start, did you know you can look up what your Book Average is on Bowl.com? You can also purchase your 2020-21 sanction card or wait until leagues do start and purchase your card through your first day/night of league bowling.–CBW CHARITY DRIVE DEADLINE IS DEC. 31California Bowling Writers 17th Annual Charity Drive for Operation Freedom Paws (OFP). Please consider donating to this charity to help OFP match clients, and many of them are CA Veterans, with specially chosen service dogs. Download donation form at www.calbowlingwriters.org and send your donation (any amount is much appreciated!) to CBW Treasurer Tina Martin, 57 Shields Lane, Novato, CA 94947. Checks can be made out to “CBW.”–TOURNAMENT CLUB CANCELLATIONS CONTINUEBe sure to check with the tournament director whether an upcoming event is a go or not as it changes from day-to-day, even hour-to-hour! Many of them are trying their darndest to provide events for bowlers to compete in but are up against city, county and state health regulations.–LOCAL BOWLING CENTERS- The BLVD! – CLOSED for Bowling, Food & Alcohol!!–3200 Buck Owens Blvd., BLVDBakersfield.com, 661/873-4477Military Service (Active, Reserve, Retired, Law Enforcement, Fire & First Responders) get 15% off Food, Soft Beverages, Bowling, Laser Tag, Ropes Course & Arcade Play Every Day!Live Music on the Patio – Every Friday from 6pm-8pm – FREE!Sign Up for The BLVD!’s E Club, connect with them to get exclusive offers & updates. Join via their free WiFi or fill out a card today! (Like & follow @BLVDBAKERSFIELD.)Monday-Thursday (Open-Close) $4.25/Game, per personFriday (Open-5pm) $4.25/Game, per personFriday (5pm-Close) $42/Hour, per lane*Weekends (Open-Close) $42/Hour, per lane*Shoes – $4/person—Socks – $2.50/pair*Up to (6) people per lane- AMF Southwest Lanes – CLOSED –3610 Wible Road – 661/834-2695, amf.com.Hours of Operation (when center re-opens)Mondays – 5pm – 10pmTuesdays – 5pm – 11pmWednesdays – 1pm – 11pmThursdays – 5pm – 10pmFridays – 11am – 1amSaturdays – 1pm – 1amSundays – 1pm – 10pmROBB’S PRO SHOP (inside AMF Southwest Lanes) –661/833-2695:Hours of OperationCLOSED- West Side Lanes – CLOSED–500 Cascade Place, Bldg. D, Taft, 93268 – 661/763-4246 or 765-6677- Mt. Mesa Lanes – CLOSED–4612 McCray Road, Mt. Mesa, CA 93240 – 760/379-3131, www.Kernvalley.com/mtmesalanes– High Desert Lanes – CLOSED–205 Fitzgerald Blvd., Edwards AFB, CA 93523 – 661/275-2695–BOWLING COMMUNITY CALENDARSat. & Sun., Dec. 26-27: Elite Bowling Club 2 squad Scratch 5 Gamers, Canyon Lanes, Cabazon, 951/419-2751Sat.-Wed., Dec. 26-30: 17th JBT Youth Las Vegas Main Event, SouthPoint, Las Vegas, NV, bowljbt.comThurs., Dec. 31: Donation deadline for CA Bowling Writers 2020/17th annual Operation Freedom Paws Charity Drive, www.calbowlingwriters.org. Or mail check donations to Tina Martin, CBW Treasurer, 57 Shields Lane, Novato, CA 94947-3877. Any amount is much appreciated!Sat.-Tues., Jan. 2-7: Team USA Trials, Western Bowl & Expo Bowl, Indianapolis, IN–CANCELLED
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