by Kristina Gabalski
Ellen Menzie at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen on March 2 when she was presented with the 2013 New York State USBC Service to Youth Award. She is surrounded by messages of thanks, flowers, photos, and, of course, a cake decorated with a bowling center theme. Friends, family, community members and former junior bowlers turned out on Saturday, March 2 at the Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen to honor Ellen Menzie who was presented with the 2013 New York State USBC Service to Youth Award.
Ellen, now 92, ran the junior bowling program – which included participation by youngsters from both Byron-Bergen and Churchville-Chili – at the Rose Garden for 40 years – from 1970 until 2010.
“I was shocked,” Ellen said of receiving the award. “If I hadn’t broken my hip, I would still be doing it. I enjoyed every minute of it, this is a very special place.”
She added that at one time, the program included 200-250 youth bowlers.
Ellen was nominated by her son, Jerry. In his letter of nomination he wrote: “Mom was a loving and caring presence on Saturdays at the Rose Garden for those 40 years. She touched the lives of countless children, most of whom are now adults. I believe that they all have fond memories of their Jr. Bowling experience at the Rose Garden in Bergen.”
During the ceremony, Ellen thanked Jerry for “starting all this. I want to say thank you to everyone.”
Ellen’s daughter, Diane Griffin, said her mom would spend countless hours each week going over scores of the bowlers and making sure they were correct.
“I’m so proud of my mother and the 40 years she dedicated to this program,” she said.
Diane noted youth in the Bergen, Churchville and Byron communities benefited from her mother’s efforts.
Ellen Menzie with her son, Jerry, who nominated his mother for the award. In Jerry’s nomination he wrote that his mom took great pride in providing a performance sheet for each bowler that was handwritten by her.
“It clearly showed them their progress week to week. She did this until she retired,” he wrote.
Ellen worked to make sure the bowlers received their patches for individual accomplishments and also selected and prepared bowlers for Fun Time Junior Bowling, which aired on Saturday mornings on Channel 13 in Rochester during the 1970s and 80s. Ellen would meet with the bowlers so they could bowl their first seven frames at the Rose Garden.
“The bowlers would travel to Channel 13 on Saturday morning to bowl frames eight through 10 under the bright lights and in front of the cameras with Ron DeFrance and Marcel Fournier. There were many Kings and Queens of the Hill from the small Bergen bowling hall,” Jerry wrote.
Members of the Sardou family – owners of the Rose Garden – also thanked and congratulated Ellen. “You have done a wonderful job,” Tom Sardou said. “We appreciate all you have done.”
Tom’s mother, Mary Sardou, joked that she was just a kid when Ellen came to work at the Rose Garden. “We worked in the kitchen together and then we needed an instructor for the bowling,” Mary said. “She is a great gal, an employee – and a friend.”
Roger Buckman, the NYS USBC Awards Committee Chair, presented Ellen with the award. He said the five-member committee reviewed nominations from all over New York State and selected Ellen for the 2013 award.
Ellen and three inductees into the NYS Hall of Fame will be formally honored at the state association’s Hall of Fame and Awards Ceremony in June in Albany.
