GO BOWLING PARTNERS WITH MILITARY BOWL FOUNDATION AND BVL ON CAMPAIGN TO SEND VETERANS TO PATRIOT POINT RETREATS
ARLINGTON, Texas – Go Bowling is back again to partner with the Military Bowl Foundation and Bowlers to Veterans Link on a nationwide social media campaign designed to reward veterans by sending them on a Patriot Point Retreat.
Patriot Point is the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre waterfront facility that provides a safe, secure and tranquil outdoor recreational and therapeutic retreat for wounded, ill and injured active-duty service members, veterans, their families and caregivers who face daily struggles related to their time spent defending our great nation.
Through its partnership with Go Bowling and the Go Bowling Military Bowl, the BVL is donating $100,000 to Patriot Point for the purpose of rewarding 100 deserving veterans who will attend a four-day, three-night therapeutic and recreational retreat tailored to the needs of each attending veterans group.
Eight of these 100 veterans will be nominated by the BVL bowling community through a national social media campaign deployed by Go Bowling to the broader bowling social media communities of the Bowling Proprietors Association of America, the United States Bowling Congress and the BVL. Patriot Point staff then will use a selection criteria that will includ the nominee’s veteran status, connection to the bowling community, personal challenges faced during military service and more to determine which BVL-nominated veterans (and a companion) will be chosen to attend the Patriot Point Retreat.
Members of the bowling community and the public at large who are interested in this initiative will be able to submit nominations of veterans they know and bowl with via an online form on GoBowling.com where the selection criteria and nomination process will be disclosed.
“We are dedicated to supporting the Bowlers To Veterans Link (BVL), bowling’s own and oldest charity, raising more than $56 million since 1942 to fund recreation therapy programs that address the emotional and physical needs of veterans and active-duty military. The opportunity to send worthy veterans on a retreat to Patriot Point is a wonderful way for the bowling community to say thank you to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much in the service of our country,” said BPAA President Kevin Krauss. “We encourage bowlers all across the nation to do their part by nominating the worthy veterans in their local communities so that they may be chosen to take part in this wonderful event.”
The Military Bowl Foundation is appreciative of the donation and looks forward to hosting these deserving men and women and providing them a much-needed break.
"Patriot Point is a place for those who have served and those who continue to selflessly serve our nation, where they have the opportunity to focus on themselves and help their healing journey," Military Bowl Foundation President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. "Go Bowling, through its Bowling to Veterans Link, is incredibly committed to supporting these service members and the Send-a-Vet campaign is yet one more way to showcase this commitment."
Launch of this campaign will coincide with Veterans Day, and an on-field $100,000 check presentation will be made by Go Bowling and the BVL to Patriot Point at the 2024 Go Bowling Military Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
The game, once again, will match teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference. Kickoff is at 5:45 p.m. Eastern, and the game will be televised on ESPN, marking the first time the Military Bowl will be played in prime time.
“The BVL was founded in order to support America’s veteran and active-duty service men and women by offering recreational therapy programs and services designed to aid recuperation and boost morale in soldiers’ lives,” said BVL Board Chair Nancy Schenk. “Endeavors such as the Patriot Point campaign and the Go Bowling Military Bowl play a large part in that. We are very excited about this campaign and the good it will do in the lives of so many courageous men and women.”
To join in Go Bowling’s mission, visit GoBowling.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok to follow and participate in the campaign.
About BPAA
Founded in 1932, the mission of Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) is to enhance the profitability of all of its members. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas at the International Bowling Campus, the BPAA provides it's over 3,400 member centers with group purchasing programs, business and educational seminars, legislative representation and proactively promotes the association and bowling industry. For additional information please visit www.BPAA.com or call 1-800-343-1329.
About Go Bowling
Go Bowling is the destination for bowling fans and enthusiasts seeking news and information about one of America's favorite pastimes and the nation's number one participatory sport. With more than 67 million people taking to the lanes every year, Go Bowling is a one-stop location where people of all ages can go to satisfy their love of bowling. Consumers turn to Go Bowling every day to find bowling fun – discovering new bowling centers, tips and techniques to use on the lanes, entertaining bowling news and great deals at more than 2,000+ family-friendly bowling centers across the country.
About International Bowling Campus
The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 67 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; IBC Youth Development; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the International Bowling Media Association; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; Bowlers Journal International and Bowling Center Management, the industry's premier magazines; and the International Training and Research Center.
About BVL
Bowlers To Veterans Link (BVL) is bowling’s own and oldest charity, raising more than $56 million since 1942 to fund recreation therapy programs that address the emotional and physical needs of veterans and active-duty military. BVL provides funds for dozens of diverse recreation therapy programs including outdoor sports, music, arts & crafts, bowling, adaptive equipment, virtual reality therapy and much more at veterans’ hospitals, clinics, and community-based counseling centers. BVL is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity that is consistently acknowledged for efficient and effective programming delivered with extremely low overhead. BVL has been recognized as one of “America’s Best Charities” by Independent Charities of America, earned a “Top-Rated” Nonprofit distinction from GreatNonprofits, and is also a member of the Combined Federal Campaign (#93325). For more information, visit BVL.org
About the Military Bowl Foundation/Patriot Point
The Military Bowl Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates premier events in the National Capital Region to benefit our nation’s service members. Originally formed to create the region’s first-ever college football postseason bowl game, the Foundation now not only runs the Go Bowling Military Bowl but additionally operates the DC Touchdown Club and Patriot Point, a retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Foundation hosts engaging events throughout the year to raise money and awareness for military service members, directly impacting those who give so much of themselves for the country.