Jerry Menzie has accomplished a feat that no other youth league bowler has for Genesee ARC. In eleven years, he has raised $10,200 participating in the Genesee ARC Bowl-A-Thon to benefit programs and services for people with disabilities in Genesee County.
“He is ending on a high note,” Genesee ARC’s Sandy Konfederath said. “This is the last year Jerry is going to be in the Rose Garden Lanes Youth League, as he is going to be heading to college in the fall.”
Jerry is an honor student at Byron-Bergen Central School. Along with the youth bowling league, where he carries a 187 average, Jerry is on a Genesee Region travel league for bowling. He also plays on the BBCS varsity golf team and is a percussionist in the school band.
The Menzie family has been involved in this Genesee ARC fundraiser since it started 40 years ago. Jerry’s grandmother, the late Ellen Menzie, was the youth league bowling coordinator at the Rose Garden Lanes and a Bowl-A-Thon volunteer. Jerry’s father set a fund raising record when he was involved in youth bowling, raising $740 one year, a record broken by his son in 2009. Jerry’s younger sisters Jillian and Julia also participate in the Bowl-A-Thon, each raising $100 this year. The Menzie family’s older son and daughters also participated when they were youth league bowlers.
Jerry thanks the Bergen community, family and friends for their Bowl-A-Thon pledges, particularly longtime supporters: LeRoy NAPA, Triple O Mechanical, BBT Construction, Greg’ry’s Bakery, TD Repair, Chark’s Glass, Fisher’s Service, Liberty Pumps, LoTurco Chiropractic, Miller’s Millwork and Ralph & Rosie’s.
This year, with a lot of support from the community, Jerry raised $1,091.51 for the ARC Bowl-A-Thon, earning the top bowler status for a sixth year in a row. He recently had the chance to meet another top fund raiser, Ashley McCormack, at ARC’s Challenger Bowling Party, December 14 at Mancuso Bowling Center. Ashley, 13, raised an impressive $500 this year. Ashley is the daughter of Patrick and Sue McCormack of Darien. According to ARC’s Sandy Konfederath, “Ashley takes great pride in this event. She has been the top Challenger fund raiser for our Bowl-A-Thon for three years in a row.”
Junior league bowlers at each of the four local lanes had the opportunity to participate in the Bowl-A-Thon. Top fund raisers at the other sites were: Terrence Asbrand – $425, LeRoy American Legion Lanes; Ryan Wolcott – $277.80 and Brad Pedro – $205, Scopano’s Paradise Lanes; Benjamin Sputore – $100 and Nate Goras – $100, Mancuso Bowling Center. Forty-five adults with disabilities participated in the Bowl-A-Thon raising more than $2,400 of the $7,800 raised this year.
Jerry Menzie’s parents, Jerry and Tammy, are very pleased with what their son has accomplished. “We are so proud of all the effort Jerry has put into this event over the years, raising money for ARC,” they shared.
Over the past 40 years, youth league bowlers have raised $356,404.46 to support Genesee ARC Programs and Services. The event chairman is Henry Valerych who serves on the Genesee ARC Board of Directors.
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