All registered bowlers will receive fundraising updates and pertinent information in the weeks leading up to the event, but here are answers to questions bowlers have asked in the past. If you have a question that is not answered here, please email Lori Feren (lferen@readahead.org) for assistance.
What is Strikes, Spares, and Splits?
The Junior Board is all about having a great time while raising awareness about this worthy reading-based mentoring nonprofit. Strikes, Spares, and Splits was started eight years ago as a way for the Junior Board to bring their networks together to bowl and raise critical funds to support the Read Ahead program.
The event is hosted at Bowlmor in Times Square and Read Ahead supporters will have private access to the 4th floor of this luxurious venue.
6:00 – 7:00 pm Registration and networking; access to cash bar
7:00 – 9:00 pm Open bowling on a lane with you and another team
Lanes are selected at random and each bowler will be notified of their lane assignment when they check in to the event.
How is the fundraising goal tallied?
The goal for this year’s event is to raise $95,000 to support P.S. 125 and P.S. 36 in West Harlem and P.S. 130 in Chinatown. The majority of the funds come from our peer-to-peer campaign led by our bowlers, who are requesting support from within their networks. Click here to check our their fundraising pages and see the event fundraising thermometer!
The remaining funds are contributions from event sponsorship, matching gifts, raffle ticket sales, silent auction, and happy hour ticket sales.
Who can participate in the event?
This event is open to everyone who is willing and able to fundraise for Read Ahead! However, the majority of teams that participate are friends and partners of Read Ahead and the Junior Board.
Interested individuals should recruit 3 friends or co-workers to create a team. Please contact Lori Feren (lferen@readahead.org) for more information.
All bowlers must be over the age of 21.
What are the responsibilities of the Team Captain?
The Team Captain is the primary point of contact between the bowling team and Read Ahead. This individual is responsible for completing the team’s registration form and motivating everyone to reach (or go beyond) the fundraising goal.
In the event a fellow team member is no longer able to bowl, the Team Captain is responsible for notifying Read Ahead (juniorboard@readahead.org) immediately and finding a replacement who can fulfill the fundraising minimum if the exiting bowler has not yet reached the $125 goal.
In the event the entire team is no longer able to bowl, please notify Read Ahead (juniorboard@readahead.org) immediately so that your team’s spot can be released to a team on the waiting list.
Is there are fee to register?
To participate in the event, each bowling team commits to raising at least $500 (for teams of 4) or $625 (for teams of 5). It is recommended that each individual set a personal fundraising goal of $125 (we will assist with setting up a personal page for you), but fundraising can be accomplished as a team if that is preferred.
Bowlers are encouraged to reach out to their networks to fundraise the registration minimum, but can also fulfill the requirement with a personal contribution. There is no cap on the fundraising amount and awards will be given to the top fundraisers!
Each registered bowler will receive an individual fundraising page should they wish to use one and be eligible for individual fundraising incentive prizes. On these pages, bowlers can easily access shareable information for fundraising, keep track of their goal, and see their standing in the competition for top individual fundraiser.
What’s included?
Each team meeting their minimum fundraising goal will receive:
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- Two hours of bowling
- Shoe rental
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- Pizza and two pitchers of beer while bowling
Please note: The cost of any food or alcohol consumed after the beer pitchers/pizza are finished will be the responsibility of the bowler who orders it from the venue. Teams will be able to place orders from their lane or at the bar.
Will I be able to share the lane with another team from my company?
We will do our best to accommodate requests to pair your team with another team. Please be sure to email juniorboard@readahead.org with the request and include the name of the team and the Team Captain so that way we have the information handy when we put the lane assignments together.
Can I collect donations offline?
Certainly! We understand that using a crowd-funding platform is not for everyone so it is okay for you to receive offline checks or cash.
All checks should be made payable to READ AHEAD and the bowler’s name should be included in the memo so that you get the credit.
To have offline donations included on your individual or team fundraising page, submit the following information to juniorboard@readahead.org: Bowler Name, Team Name, Donor Name, and Donation Amount for each donation.
Please bring the cash and checks in an envelope with you when you check in for the event and give to a Read Ahead staff member. Be sure your name is on the outside of the envelope and that you include a breakdown of the contributions for our records. If your donor would like to receive a tax receipt, please include their email address.
How do I submit contributions from my company’s matching gifts policy?
First, thank you for doubling the impact of your donation by requesting a matching gift from your company! To submit the matching gift, please email Lori Feren (lferen@readahead.org) any forms that need to be completed to process the request at your company.
The matching gift will be reflected in your fundraising total when the appropriate forms have been submitted.
Although matching gift contributions definitely help the Junior Board toward their overall fundraising goal, please note that matching gifts cannot be counted towards the top fundraising trophies for teams or individuals, to keep the playing field even for all bowlers.
Can I bowl after 9 pm?
Bowling after Read Ahead’s event will be at the discretion of the venue and based on lane availability. Email Lori Feren (lferen@readahead.org) if you’d like to make a reservation for after 9 pm and she will make that request on your behalf.
How else can I help make this event successful?
The goal is to raise $95,000 this year and that will be done through the fundraising efforts of the bowlers, as well as their participation in our silent auction and raffle.
You can help us by donating a luxury item to the auction or coming prepared to get in on the fun by purchasing raffle tickets or bidding. Raffle tickets will be sold in increments of $5, $10, and $20. All silent auction items can be paid for by check or credit card.
We also have several event sponsorship opportunities available that help elevate the profile of the event and allow all of the funds raised to go directly to our programs. Contact juniorboard@readahead.org for more details on auction donations or events sponsorship opportunities.
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