Three Causes, One Day at the Lanes: Inside the EPBR Annual Bowling Tournament
- marysol64
- 39 minutes ago
- 4 min read
For more than a decade, the Eastern Panhandle Board of REALTORS® had rented out a bowling alley, called in three local charities, and turned a few hours at the lanes into a serious local fundraiser. Over the years, the event had raised in excess of $75,000 for nonprofit causes right in the panhandle.
Loan officer Rick Ziddle of Integrity Home Mortgage was running point on that year’s tournament, and he had joined the most recent episode of Raising the Bar with EPBR to walk through where the event came from, who it was supporting, and why it had become one of the board’s most loved annual traditions.
How the Tournament Pivoted From Golf to Bowling
For years, EPBR's signature fundraiser had been a golf tournament. Then a member named Justin Henry had asked a simple question at a meeting: had anyone ever considered doing a bowling tournament instead?
"If I'm being honest, my first reaction was, oh man, that's not fun. I like to golf. But as I thought about it, I realized that's actually a brilliant idea. Everybody bowls. You don't have to be good. And you don't have to worry about the weather."
The pivot worked. Bowling brought in members who would never have signed up for 18 holes, took the weather out of the equation, and made the day accessible to anyone willing to throw a ball down a lane.
A 10 Year Run, Built on One Member's Shoulders
Behind the tournament's smooth annual run was Carrie Whitehead, who had run the event for roughly 10 years before handing the reins over.
"When I started working on it this year, that was the first call I made. He had notes going back 10 years of everything he'd done. It really helped me and our committee get it off the ground."
That kind of institutional knowledge was what allowed a volunteer event to run smoothly year after year. Rick had been quick to credit not just the prior committee chair but the office staff who quietly kept registrations, lane assignments, and logistics humming. Tammy,
Amanda, and Jenny at the EPBR board office received specific shout outs, with Amanda fielding regular updates on new registrations and lane assignments.
A previous committee member, Sarah, had also helped lead the event in earlier years and earned a thank you on the air.
This Year's Three Beneficiaries
Each year the bowling tournament had picked three charities and split 100% of the proceeds evenly between them. The lineup that year spoke to how broad EPBR's idea of "community" really was.
Hospice of the Panhandle
"Hospice of the Panhandle provides compassionate care to those with life limiting illness and assists their families and caregivers. We strive to broaden community awareness and the end of life experience."
For Rick, this beneficiary had been personal. His wife's father had spent his final months in hospice care about five years prior, and Rick had seen firsthand the small daily acts that hospice provided.
"Things like they would come in and help bathe him. They would shave him. Things you wouldn't think are that important, but he felt so much better after that. When someone's on a limited amount of time, there's little things that actually matter a lot more than you might think."
The Brian O'Neal Jr. Foundation
"The Brian O'Neal Jr. Foundation is dedicated to empowering youth and preventing suicide through community driven initiatives and support programs. Inspired by Brian O'Neal Jr.'s legacy, we strive to create a positive impact by fostering resilience, connection, and hope among teens and young adults."
The foundation had grown out of personal tragedy. Someone had taken the loss of a loved one and channeled it into helping others, specifically teens and young adults navigating the kind of mental health pressures that had only grown in recent years.
Tri County Pastoral Counseling Service
In existence since 1972, Tri County Pastoral Counseling Service had offered a form of therapy that combined spiritual resources with psychological understanding. For people who wanted a counselor who could engage with the religious or spiritual side of their lives alongside the psychological side, Tri County had been filling a niche in the panhandle for over 50 years.
"While some individuals choose a psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist, others want support and the opportunity to discuss their problems or illness in a spiritual or religious context."
What the Day at the Lanes Looked Like
The format had been simple: free lunch, a couple of drinks, three games, and door prizes throughout the day. One of the most loved traditions had been costumes.
"Some will show up in costumes and they clearly plan this out in advance."
That year, Sulin Regal had designed a "Most Creative" trophy that Rick described as ridiculous in the best possible way. Each beneficiary had also been given a table at the event to share their mission, distribute literature, and connect with bowlers about volunteer or donation opportunities beyond the day itself.
The committee that year had included Rick, Erin Alter, Sulin Regal, and Kim Gilbert Tel, with the office team handling the back end logistics.
Even If You Were Not Bowling, Show Up
Registration had closed at the end of July, and only a couple of lanes had remained open. Rick's pitch had been direct: even if you did not bowl, even if your team was full, you should come anyway.
"If one of these touched your heart, you'll have an opportunity at the event to meet with them directly. See how you can assist. Volunteer opportunities, financial opportunities. Stop by in any event."
That had always been the soul of the bowling tournament. The bowling had been the excuse. The cause had been the point.
How to Sign Up or Show Up
Teams had been able to register through the EPBR Facebook page or by calling the board office directly. For the full calendar of upcoming EPBR events, the events page had been the place to start. And for those who were not yet members, the easiest first step had been to become an EPBR member and plug into a committee that was already doing that kind of work.
Three causes. One day at the lanes. More than $75,000 had been raised over a decade of throwing strikes (and a fair number of gutter balls) for the panhandle. The kind of small town fundraiser that had compounded quietly over time and ended up moving real money into the places that needed it most.
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