Bowl for the Cure Fabulous Four winners begin journey
April 09, 2014
ARLINGTON, Texas – The Bowl for the Cure® Fabulous Four essay contest winners began their ultimate bowling experience on Wednesday with a visit to the headquarters of Susan G. Komen® and the International Bowling Campus.
The visit to Dallas and Arlington are the first stops of a five-day journey for Kathy Adams of Bountiful, Utah, Barb Demorest of Bellingham, Wash., Kristal Kelley of Smithfield, N.C. and Shannon Thompson of Spring Creek, Nev., who were selected as the winners of the Fabulous Four essay contest in February.
Bowl for the Cure®, which works in partnership with Susan G. Komen®, launched the Fabulous Four essay contest so women who have been impacted by breast cancer and/or who have been involved in supporting the fight against breast cancer could share their stories.
On Wednesday, the contest winners had the opportunity to tour Susan G. Komen’s International Headquarters (photo, above), which included a pep rally in the board room, before heading to the International Bowling Campus.
At the IBC, they visited the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and the International Training and Research Center (ITRC), where they each received new DV8 Diva Pearl ball and a lesson from the ITRC staff.
“That was the No. 1 thing that caught my eye when I found out I actually had been picked as one of the Fabulous Four, that I’m going to get coaching from a Team USA coach,” said Adams, who bowls in leagues twice a week. “I told my husband and he goes, ‘And it won’t be wasted.’ ”
Demorest, who said the trip merged two of the most significant things in her life, breast cancer and bowling, had been to the ITRC before as a competitor in the 2013 USBC Senior Queens, and was excited to return.
“Since I was 13, I’ve bowled,” Demorest said. “I’ve bowled at all levels and always enjoyed it. To be able to come where Team USA trains … many, many years ago that was my goal to make Team USA. So I recognize the value of being able to come here and participate in this.”
The next stop in the journey will be Reno, Nev. The group will take part in Friday’s opening ceremonies of the 2014 USBC Women’s Championships, where they will bowl the team event together.
“It’s awesome to hear each of their stories, because everyone has a different story and everyone has been impacted in a different way,” Thompson said of her fellow Fabulous Four winners. “It’s been an honor to meet them all and know we’re all sisters together.”
Kelley also said it was amazing to talk with the other winners, especially Thompson.
“I haven’t been around anybody that was real young when they had breast cancer, because I was 25,” Kelley said. “It’s been neat talking to her; my kids were little like hers. I mean, we’ve just got along so great. It’s been so much fun.”
For more details on the journey of the Fabulous Four winners and to read each winner’s breast cancer story, visit BOWL.com/FabulousFour. For more information on the 2014 USBC Women’s Championships, please visit BOWL.com/WomensChamp.
Bowl for the Cure® is a year-round fundraising and breast cancer awareness initiative sponsored by USBC. Since its inception in 2000, people from across the country have hit the lanes to raise more than $10 million for breast cancer research and awareness.
Go to BOWL.com/BFTC to learn more.
Fabulous Four contest winners (l-r): Barb Demorest, Kathy Adams, Kristal Kelley, Shannon Thompson
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 $800 million in research and provided $1.7 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 Facebook and Twitter.
The visit to Dallas and Arlington are the first stops of a five-day journey for Kathy Adams of Bountiful, Utah, Barb Demorest of Bellingham, Wash., Kristal Kelley of Smithfield, N.C. and Shannon Thompson of Spring Creek, Nev., who were selected as the winners of the Fabulous Four essay contest in February.
Bowl for the Cure®, which works in partnership with Susan G. Komen®, launched the Fabulous Four essay contest so women who have been impacted by breast cancer and/or who have been involved in supporting the fight against breast cancer could share their stories.
On Wednesday, the contest winners had the opportunity to tour Susan G. Komen’s International Headquarters (photo, above), which included a pep rally in the board room, before heading to the International Bowling Campus.
At the IBC, they visited the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and the International Training and Research Center (ITRC), where they each received new DV8 Diva Pearl ball and a lesson from the ITRC staff.
“That was the No. 1 thing that caught my eye when I found out I actually had been picked as one of the Fabulous Four, that I’m going to get coaching from a Team USA coach,” said Adams, who bowls in leagues twice a week. “I told my husband and he goes, ‘And it won’t be wasted.’ ”
Demorest, who said the trip merged two of the most significant things in her life, breast cancer and bowling, had been to the ITRC before as a competitor in the 2013 USBC Senior Queens, and was excited to return.
“Since I was 13, I’ve bowled,” Demorest said. “I’ve bowled at all levels and always enjoyed it. To be able to come where Team USA trains … many, many years ago that was my goal to make Team USA. So I recognize the value of being able to come here and participate in this.”
The next stop in the journey will be Reno, Nev. The group will take part in Friday’s opening ceremonies of the 2014 USBC Women’s Championships, where they will bowl the team event together.
“It’s awesome to hear each of their stories, because everyone has a different story and everyone has been impacted in a different way,” Thompson said of her fellow Fabulous Four winners. “It’s been an honor to meet them all and know we’re all sisters together.”
Kelley also said it was amazing to talk with the other winners, especially Thompson.
“I haven’t been around anybody that was real young when they had breast cancer, because I was 25,” Kelley said. “It’s been neat talking to her; my kids were little like hers. I mean, we’ve just got along so great. It’s been so much fun.”
For more details on the journey of the Fabulous Four winners and to read each winner’s breast cancer story, visit BOWL.com/FabulousFour. For more information on the 2014 USBC Women’s Championships, please visit BOWL.com/WomensChamp.
Bowl for the Cure® is a year-round fundraising and breast cancer awareness initiative sponsored by USBC. Since its inception in 2000, people from across the country have hit the lanes to raise more than $10 million for breast cancer research and awareness.
Go to BOWL.com/BFTC to learn more.
Fabulous Four contest winners (l-r): Barb Demorest, Kathy Adams, Kristal Kelley, Shannon Thompson
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 $800 million in research and provided $1.7 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 Facebook and Twitter.