Bowling league strikes a hit for residents with vision problems
John F. Brothers/HeraldStandard.com
Bob Nicol takes his turn during an outing with his bowling league, formed by the Fayette County Association for the Blind’s Vision for Living activity group.
John F. Brothers/HeraldStandard.com
In the photo above, Tom Mullen, a specialized services worker with the Fayette County Blind Association, assists Gail Hartsock as she uses a special ramp to roll her bowling ball down the alley. The ramp helps those who have difficulty handling the heavy balls. In the photo below, Leona Roberts throws her ball toward the pins at Manor Lanes in Hopwood. The bumpers are up to prevent gutter balls and make the experience better for the visually impaired bowlers.
John F. Brothers/HeraldStandard.com
Leona Roberts throws her ball toward the pins at Manor Lanes in Hopwood. The bumpers are up to prevent gutter balls and make the experience better for the visually impaired bowlers.
John F. Brothers/HeraldStandard.com
Norman Armstrong works to pick up a two-pin spare for his team during a recent outing of the Vision for Living’s bowling league sponsored by the Fayette County Blind Association.
The sounds of bowling are in the air at Manor Lanes in Hopwood where shiny balls roll down slick alleys to strike pins that fall with loud crashes before being picked up by a machine to start all over again.
The excitement causes smiles to appear on the faces of participants, including members of Fayette County’s newest bowling league. Formed by the Fayette County Association for the Blind’s Vision for Living activity group, the league is comprised of local residents who are blind or have low vision.
“I’ve never bowled before. I love it,” said Anna Durant, a native of Rubles Mill now living in Connellsville. “The activity is just wonderful — the anticipation of getting a strike.”
Sandra Morris, executive director for the blind association, explained the group includes residents from throughout Fayette County and was started with support, in part, from a Seed Award by the Sprout Fund, a Pittsburgh-based agency that strives to create a thriving, progressive and culturally diverse region.
“Socialization is a big part of what we hope they get out of this,” Morris said.
The group decided to form a bowling league as its first activity, meeting weekly and enjoying up to three games at each session. Some members have bowled before. For others, this is their first time. There were enough participants to form two teams: The Swingers and The Lucky Strikes.
“It’s fun,” said Leona Roberts of Haydentown, Georges Township, who is captain of the Swingers.
“I like getting out and the new friends I’ve met,” said Debbie Linker of Connellsville, a member of the Swingers.
Bob Nicol of Uniontown, who is captain of the Lucky Strikes, joked, “When we get a strike, we’re lucky. Our goal today is three strikes in a row. I’m trying to get one now.”
Nicol, who used to bowl in college and helped coach bowling for Special Olympics, said, “I think it’s good exercise for everybody.”
Team members have different causes for their vision problems: retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that progressively damages the retinas; macular degeneration, a disease that destroys sharp, central vision; glaucoma, a disease in which the optic nerve is damaged; and a tumor.
Some have low vision while others are blind yet, with a little help, all are able to bowl.
Thomas Mullen, a specialized services worker with the blind association who is involved in the activity league, said, “They are great people and this builds their self esteem and confidence. We stress abilities, not disabilities.”
He added, “All these people are normal human beings but they have an eye disease that affects their vision. It can strike anybody at anytime. Next time you see somebody blind or handicapped, don’t be impatient. Next time it might be you or a loved one.”
To bowl, the group uses bumpers along the lanes to keep the balls out of the gutters. In addition, grant money helped provide special equipment to assist the bowlers, including a guide rail for the ball. At the time of this interview, the group was looking to purchase a rail to guide the bowlers to the foul line.
Mullen and Alycia Jarrett, a Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus intern for the blind association, assist the bowlers as they take their turns.
Ada Amandola of Uniontown, who said she bowled years ago, commented, “They help me. I think it’s great. It gives us exercise and a day out, especially when you live by yourself and you don’t drive.”
Transportation is the biggest problem for the group with the blind association encouraging members to make use of Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation, the FACT bus. Morris hopes the group members will become more comfortable using public transportation.
Gail Hartsock of Grindstone is a member who does make use of public transportation.
She said of bowling, “I bowled ever since I was 40. It’s a lot of exercise and I enjoy the people. I’m making a lot of new friends here.”
The Swingers include: Leona Roberts, captain; Debbie Linker, Betty Greenlaw, Bobby Reed, Norman Armstrong, Anita Jackson and Sylvester Garden.
The Lucky Strikes are Bob Nicol, captain; Anna Durant, Ada Amandola, Gail Hartsock, Helen Mudrey, Ed Croftcheck and Kay Seignman.
All of them find the bowling league a positive experience.
Anita B. Jackson, of Royal in Redstone Township, said, “I enjoy it. I think this is great for us. It’s wonderful entertainment and we are getting to know each other.”
Morris noted, “I used to hear them say that the only time they left the house was to go to a doctor’s appointment. Now I’m hearing ‘I can’t wait for next week’ and ‘I didn’t want to come back to bowling but now I’m glad I did.”’
Norman Armstrong, a member of the Swingers, who has has been blind for 36 years, said, “Handicapped is what you make of it — what you put into life and what you get out of it.”
Fayette County Association for the Blind, located at 724-4347-2791, is a non-profit organization that has been serving the visually impaired since 1946. Its focus is to assist in the prevention of blindness and to provide aid to those who are visually impaired through various services and programs. For more information on the Vision for Life activity group, call 724-437-2791.