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Bowlers scatter pins at tourney for blind
By EBONY WINDOM LAND O'LAKES -- Laura Woods likes to win, but on this day at Royal Lanes she was more focused on having fun. Woods and two dozen other blind or visually impaired adults participated in the Bowling for the Blind tournament sponsored by Paradise Lakes Lions Club. Woods, a 78-year-old retired teacher who has glaucoma, says she looks forward to bowling with the Lions Club.
Lions Club program director Nancy Moore organizes a bowling activity every second and fourth Monday at Royal Lanes. She challenged other Lions Club-sponsored bowling teams from surrounding counties to attend the tournament. Other teams were from Cotee River, Lutz-Land O'Lakes, New Port Richey and Hudson-Bayonet Point. The Lions Club International is said to be the largest service organization in the world, founded in 1917 as an organization of local businesses dedicated to improving their community. Lions Club International has been recognized for its service to the blind and visually impaired worldwide. Charles McBride, 84, of Land O'Lakes, held tightly to the special railing that helped guide him to the beginning of the gutter-padded bowling lane and hurled his ball. Eight pins went down. His wife, Maidie, cheered. Mrs. McBride said her husband is deaf and has macular degeneration, a disease that causes a gradual loss in detail vision. McBride is a retired ship repairman and wears a helpful tool over his glasses called a Jordy. The device looks like a pair of scaled-down binoculars. It allows him to see the bowling pins more clearly. Mrs. McBride says the bowling keeps her husband motivated and entertains him. "Now he's hoping to take a computer class," she said. Dory Bartell, 52, of Wesley Chapel describes herself modestly as a "fair bowler." She started bowling with Paradise Lakes Lions Club only a few months ago, and now she averages 150 points per game. Her watchful guide dog, Campbell, a black Labrador retriever, helps as she nears the lane. Even though Bartell's macular degeneration and glaucoma keep her from seeing the pins, she scored 265 points in three games Monday. Top honors went to the New Port Richey Lions Club bowling team. All participants received medals. The Paradise Lakes Lions Club will continue offering bowling every other Monday at Royal Lanes. The fee is $4 for bowling, with free shoe rental. The next tournament is set for early November. For information, call Moore at (813) 948-8343.
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From today's Pasco Times Editorial Letters |
