ARLINGTON, Texas – The winners in the Bowl for the Cure® Fabulous Four essay contest started their exciting bowling adventure in the Dallas area and the journey will continue through the opening of the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships in Las Vegas.

Annissa Grooms of Manchester, Ohio, Marisol Guerrero of Rosenberg, Texas, Joyce Harris of Kokomo, Indiana, and Katie Pogue of Saginaw, Texas, kicked off their Fabulous Four experience on Wednesday with a celebration at Susan G. Komen® headquarters in Dallas, plus a special dinner.

“It was overwhelming,” Pogue said of the experience at Komen headquarters. “You walk in and the cheering … the whole thing. You can’t even take it all in, it just feels dreamlike.”

On Thursday, the group had the opportunity to visit the International Bowling Campus in Arlington. After a trip through the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, the Fabulous Four were fitted with new bowling balls, provided by USBC Gold Partner Columbia 300, before taking to the lanes for a little coaching from Team USA coaches Rod Ross and Kim Terrell Kearney.

“It has been wonderful to not only get a little history of bowling, but to have coaches here to give us some pointers and to get us prepared to have fun at the tournament in Vegas,” Harris said.

The group was joined on the lanes by Team USA members Stefanie Johnson and Shannon Pluhowsky, who also provided a few tips for the bowlers.

“Being here at the training center with Team USA members is incredible,” Guerrero said. “I feel so honored.”

The group will head to Las Vegas on Friday and will have a little time to relax and catch a show before competing in the opening squad of the Women’s Championships on Saturday. While a couple of the Fabulous Four might be a little anxious about bowling in a national event, they all agreed they have quickly come together as a team.

“Instead of the red carpet, the pink carpet has been rolled out for us,” Grooms said. “We’re just really feeling pampered and appreciated. We were complete strangers, didn’t know each other, but I feel we have bonded at this point after not even two full days together. But I think there is kind of a sisterhood between breast cancer survivors.”

The Fabulous Four essay contest was started two years ago to raise awareness about breast cancer and to honor four remarkable women who have dealt with a breast cancer diagnosis. The contest is part of Bowl for the Cure, the year-round fundraising initiative sponsored by USBC in partnership with Susan G. Komen®.

To enter the contest, women who have been impacted by breast cancer and/or have been involved in supporting the fight against breast cancer were encouraged to submit an essay about their experience. Essays were reviewed by a special selection panel, including previous Fabulous Four winners along with Susan G. Komen® and USBC staff, to determine the Fabulous Four.

Please visit BOWL.com/FabulousFour to learn more about the Fabulous Four contest.

About Susan G. Komen®
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $889 million in research and provided $1.95 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social.