Credit: Beth Rankin

Bowling balls crashing into pins, the aroma of pizza lingering in the air and the sound of children’s laughter echoing throughout the bowling alley is what one could find Saturday, at the 23rd annual Big Brothers, Big Sisters’ Bowling for Kids’ Sake at Twin Star Lanes in Kent.

Amy Boyd, a sophomore early childhood education major, tries to spend at least one or two days a week her “little,” 9-year-old Kali.

“We do stuff like going to the movies, shopping, bowling and we study together. I think Kali studies more than me though,” Boyd said, laughing.

Kali chimed in, saying her favorite thing to do with her “big” is to go swimming.

“We are hoping to raise $15 thousand this year, said Ron Kilchenman, associate director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Portage County.

Kilchenman said there are 15 students who volunteer as mentors.

“But we still have 100 children on the waiting list needing to be placed with a mentor,” Kilchenman said.

There is especially a big need for male volunteers, 80 of the 100 children on the waiting list are boys, Boyd said.

—Jessica Sprowl