Can anyone help me out?

[Heather Spencer]

Hi, as you already know I am Jo and Nic Spencer's Mum. I work at a home for people with an intellectual disability and three of our clients bowl quite regularly, one of whom has high game of 229 without bumpers.

I am trying to promote our sport amongst our clients at Minda Home in Adelaide and would really appreciate it if anyone can supply me with a shirt or three that I can pass onto our Clients.

Minda Home is a home which houses around 800 people with an intellectual disability, some of whome are highly dependent and some of whom are on the "border line". In the office I work in, I get many of our clients visiting looking for recognition in their various achievements, and of course, when they are involved in ten-pin bowling I am particularly interested in what they scored, how many strikes etc. The three clients I know who play ten-pin regularly have averages at around 110 and I think that is tremendous. They are always eager to come into my office to let me know what they have scored, but the bottom line is they have really got something out of their bowling as have the staff who take them on a regular basis.

I would really like to encourage these people by giving them a shirt or something significant to recognise their achievements. Maybe even a bowling magazine with autographs of the more well known bowlers, anything that can encourage these people to achieve to the best of their ability. One of our clients did achieve a good result in a tournament for the disabled about 2 years ago, in USA, and I think we should all be grateful that we are able to make our own informed choices as these people can't do that. Any help???? If so, my icq number is 49316736, get in touch with me via that or on here on the total bowling site. Thanks.

Heather S

 

[steve_jones]

Heather,

Sounds like a worthy cause to me. I can't help with signatures of Australian bowlers - but Brunswick will supply each of the three bowlers in the group a new ball [just let me know the weights they need and I will ship these to you direct also let me have a physical address to send to - not a PO box]. We will also send some shirts for them to bowl in - again just let me know sizes.

If you want to communicate the above information via this page that's OK - but if you would rather keep the information private just email Graham Williams (graham@totalbowling.com.au) - he will find me for you.

Be well, say hi to Jo for me - it's only been about ten years since I last saw her.

Steve Jones
BRUNSWICK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED.
HONG KONG

 

[The Real Deal]

Hey Steve,

Just wanted to say I think your donation of bowling balls and shirts to these bowlers was a wonderful idea and Im sure they will be rapt when they recieve them......

Clint

 

[GeorgeF]

Just when we all thought you had dissappeared you come back on with a generous offer like that. Good to see Steve, keep up the good work.

George

 

[Brenton Davy]

Heather,

In addition to Steves offer, if you bring them up to Village Bowl, I will measure and drill their equipment free of charge (normally $50.00 per ball).

Give me a ring (08) 82894688 and we'll arrange some times.

Brenton Davy
Beginner To Pro Shop
Village Bowl

 

[Heather Spencer]

I am absolutely overwhelmed by the responses I have just read re my request. I never thought in my wildest dreams that people would be this generous. I now have to discuss these wonderful offers with the staff concerned at Minda, so I hope you will bear with me, being a weekend, might be a few days before I get my details to Graham, but Stevo and Brenton, what a fantastic offer, I feel as though I have just won X-Lotto. Our clients will be absolutely rapt I am sure of that, and especially Jeremy who absolutely lives for his weekly bowling outing. Steve, what is the lightest weight you would be able to supply with the balls? I would imagine they would all use pretty lightweight house balls because of their various disabilities. I will get back to you ASAP, but thanks guys, I am soooooo grateful, and it does go to show there are still some wonderful people in this world who really make a difference for our less fortunate peers.

Steve, my 2 daughters are both well and Jo is getting married in February.

Heather S

 

[nicola]

thanks to both steve and brenton,
i know these bowlers through my work at bowling centres and also from my visits to MINDA. i know that they will be so excited about the gifts and to them it will be as if xmas has come early for them.

thanks again,
nicola spencer

 

[Hippy??]

I can't help it ,I just have to say well done Steve and Brenton.

Also to anyone else out there, go and watch a disabled league sometime somewhere and you will see people who bowl because they really love it. Not for any other reason than that. It really is great to see people bowling because they love it and haven't taken the fun out of it by trying to get good at it.

 

[Graham]

WOW ! To Steve & Brenton - Thank You.

Heather : just send me an email graham@totalbowling.com.au and I will pass your details onto Steve.

Regards

 

[steve_jones]

Heather,

Happy to help and glad that whatever we do be it large or small in some way makes others a little better off. Mind you - and I should add that Brenton Davy and I go a long way back, and we sure have had our "moments" at times - but I thought his offer to do the drilling was a substantial contribution - you're a pretty decent bloke for a lefty Davy.

I think 8lb would be best - we do a 6lb ball, but to be honest these are often a bit of trouble on some ball returns [frankly they don't come back - they are just too light] - we have a urethane 8lb [either Glow in the Dark or not by the way]. The better known brands in our range usually start at 10lb - it's your call Heather whatever you think is best will be OK by me.

I also want to thank those people who commented on the contribution from Brenton and Brunswick - appreciate the kind words [I'm sure B.D won't mind me saying this from both of us]. But let me add - I have been in this game now for 40 years next year - I guess Brenton has been at it a long time too - it has been my life - and continues to be - bowling people are the best people in the world. Sure there are many issues to be resolved but at the end of the day if you put aside all the incidental nonsense, the momentary issues and bad feelings, largely this is a great game/industry/sport to be involved in.This is what makes it easy to help if one can and Brenton can and Brunswick can - in this instance - thousands of others have in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.

OK - so now I've finished with that I do have one final, serious question - what the hell is it that Track actually "rules" George?!

Steve Jones

ps - good luck for the big day Jo..SJ

 

[Magoo]

It is good to see that there are still some purely generous people left in the world.Well done steve jones (and brunswick)also well done Brenton davy.
Heather,let us all know how the donations go.
you know the size of the smiles things like that.

Till next time
Tryhard

 

[Dj bruv on da mix]

Well done to Steve and Brenton, it only takes a little and what a big difference it makes, and thats what will help to promote bowling to the next level.

Mark Foster

 

[JoSpencer]

Hi Steve, been a long time hasn't it! But like you say in your posts about this sport and the people, it's the sort of sport that once you meet someone they are rarely forgotten, glad that you still remember 'lil old me as I would have been quite a lot younger back in those days!!! (My god, I am nearly 30 and sound like I am nearly about to take the pension!). The big day is approaching fast, thanks for your kind wishes.

What a fantastic offer from both you and Brenton. I know how much my mum loves to help these people out, especially her little bowlers! They will be so thrilled.

The gesture from you both is huge.

Mum, I will give you a few shirts next time I see you!

Bye

Jo

 

[GeorgeF]

Steve

I guess you didn't know that Brenton, Michael Muir and I are all on Track Inc. staff. "Track rules" is a small promotional plug if you know what I mean.

I'll be heading over to Asia 5-6 times next year for the Asain Zone events, I"m sure we'll get a chance to catch up.

George

 

[Heather Spencer]

Hello to everyone who has posted on this topic, it certainly has given me heart knowing there are some lovely people out there who also have thanked Steve and Brenton for their generosity.

Steve and Brenton, I have only today been able to pass your offer onto the Recreation staff at Minda, and as one of them is still on annual leave, it might be a little while before I can get the info to you, but I cn tell you, the Rec Officer I spoke to today about your offer was "stunned" to say the least. He said he can't do anything until the other person is back from Annual Leave, but he was definitely humbled by your kind offers as I and many others have been.

I hope you will bear with me on this, and although it has been discovered that one of the clients in question does have a bowling ball, apparently it is pretty old and a new one would really make his day as they don't get a lot, and certainly can't afford such luxuries. I have asked the staff who cares for the client who has his own ball to try to bring it to my office on Saturday morning, when I will hopefully be able to assess what weight it is. As for the other two, they would more than likely be 8lb. I'll get back to you both as soon as I have all the information, but I want to say again how grateful I am to both of you for showing compassion to people who are less fortunate than us through no fault of their own. They all bring their own special love and we could learn a lot really from these people.

OK, better run now, been a long day.

Heather S

 

[steve_jones]

Heather,

However long it takes is OK by me. The offer stands as long as required - just get whatever details you need and shoot these off to me at steve_jones@brunswick.com.hk At the same time please advise a physical delivery address and contact number at the delivery address [and a contact person] as Federal Express will require this to ensure delivery goes to plan.

Be well,

Steve

 

[Brenton Davy]

Heather,

Take as long as you need.

Steve, yes, we have had "our moments". Remember the time in at the Melbourne when I stormed into the tournament room and DEMANDED I be given a yellow card 'cos of my display in the squad that had just finished?

You refused to issue one to me, but I insisted so you said if I was that desperate to pay a fine, then buy $25 worth of those open up lotto tickets, which I immediately did. Won $50 didn't I

 

[steve_jones]

Hello Brenton,

With "names" in the fields of tournaments I ran over the years like Dave Davis, Barry Asher, Glenn Allison, Mike McGrath, Steve Neff and countless others, it was always a challenge to keep things on track - but can I say, you were usually the BIGGEST challenge of all [and I say that in the nicest possible way]...mind you, you had some "mates" - Ron Spiteri, Andy McKay and Bruce Peel had their own "unique" personalities that kept me on my toes - life was never dull, that's for sure.

Be well, glad things are good for you,

Steve

 

[Heather Spencer]

Hi Steve and Brenton, couldn't get onto this site last night, thought my computer was trying to tell me something, that it is old like its owner - LOL.

Firstly, I got a smile from your post Brenton re you storming into the tournament room,and then winning $50 to boot from buying tickets. I thought to myself "Yeah, can picture Brenton doing that"

Now down to business, when I couldn't get into totalbowling last night, I e-mailed Graham for both your e-mail addresses as our Public Relations lady in work would like to formerly thank you both. I now have yours Steve, and Brenton, if you could let me have yours, send me an e-mail on spencer1@iweb.net.au don't forget the 1 after spencer!!!!!

I now have all the details Steve, which I will send to you via e-mail, and again, you can't even begin to know what this will do for our clients in question. I was telling one of our Directors and the look on her face was something else. She said same as me "Isn't it lovely that people who don't even know our clients would do something like this, that's amazing"

Once we have received the balls, I will organise with you Brenton, a time to bring the clients - Susie, Wayne and Jeremy - to Village Bowl, probably have to be a Sunday if that's ok by you as they work during the week in supported employment, and I work 4 days a week including Saturdays. I am hoping to get hold of a digital camera in work so I can take some photos to send to Steve, and of course for you also.

Say hello to Shelley and that beautiful "little man" of yours.

Heather S