Why: Rhinos have lived on earth for over 50 million years but whether they survive even 50 more years is up to us. All 5 remaining species- the white, black, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan are endangered. In 2011 the West African Black Rhino was declared extinct, and the last Javan Rhino in Vietnam was found with a bullet in its leg and its horn removed. A clear sign of poaching. Only the white rhino with a population of 4,600 seems to be somewhat safe from extinction. In 1960, 60,000 black rhinos roamed Africa. Today only 2,500 remain in isolated populations. On the Asian continent, the greater one-horned population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran species numbers around 200 and the Javan species has fewer than 60 animals. But here is hope, the Southern White Rhino has been brought back from the brink of extinction by dedicated conservation efforts.
The rhino is killed for its horn to be used in oriental medicines and as symbolic dagger handles. The horn is so valuable to poachers that the rhino cannot survive unless it is on protected sanctuaries such as Lewa and the Indonesian parks. Bowling for Rhinos money is used to fence in these areas, purchase planes and land rover vehicles to curtail poaching, translocate rhino into the sanctuaries/parks, purchase trip cameras for censusing, and salaries for anti-poaching security guards to name a few.
The black rhino is a symbol of conservation in Africa as our bald eagle is to those of us in the United States. If the black rhino were to go extinct what message would we give our children? The rhino is a large, flagship species. By striving to save the rhino, we save large expanses of habitat. By saving these habitats, we are saving many endangered species, from orchids to tigers.
What: Each year different chapters of the American Association of Zoo Keepers nationwide sponsor fund raising bowling parties. Funds raised at Bowling for Rhinos fundraisers nationwide are pooled together and support Lewa Wildlife Conserv ancy (formerly called Ngare Sergoi rhino sanctuary) in Kenya, Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) and Way Kambas in Sumatra. These sanctuaries not only save rhinos but also these entire ecosystems! Since 1991 almost $4 million has been raised for rhino conservation.
Click on the links below to find out more about the organizations that benefited from your participation in Bowling for Rhinos.
Who: This event is open to everyone! All that matters is your commitment to saving rhinos and their habitat, not how well you bowl. The event has been sponsored nationally by the American Association of Zoo Keepers since 1990. In the last 21 years almost 4 million dollars has been raised to support rhino habitat conservation throughout the world. The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter has been able to raise over $100,000. How: There are five ways to help us raise money for rhino conservation.
If your funds are tight this year please pass this information onto your friends and family, you never know who you will inspire.
Party - Come down to Spin Alley to support the bowlers, enjoy the included dinner, play trivia, purchase raffle tickets, and have a good time. There is also a no host bar. Dinner menu details will be available soon. The cost is $15, but you get a $3 discount if you register before February 15th. Soups, salads, and an assortment of delicious sandwiches are on the menu!
Bowling –Enjoy the party and dinner, only you get to bowl too! Guests who bowl are the ones who really drive this event; they are the backbone of our fundraising! Bowling skill does not matter because we do not collect “per pin” donations, only flat donations. Sign up on your own or create a team of up to five people. The cost is $25, but if you register before February 15th you get a $5 discount. Bowlers are required to raise another $30 in sponsor pledges to be turned in at check in on May 10th at Spin Alley. There will be special prizes for the three people who bring in the most amount of sponsor money which we will post as soon as we have them confirmed. If you are one of the two top earners nation wide you have won a trip for two to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya! Limited to 80 bowlers, so don't delay!
When you click on the "register to bowl" button above you will be asked to fill out your information and pay. At the bottom of that form there is a "Comment" field, please enter the name of the people you would like to bowl with in this field. After you are registered you will be sent an email containing instructions for how to collect sponsors. This sponsor sheet MUST be filled out completely and turned in with all sponsor money at check in on May10th. If you’re having a hard time finding sponsors check out the Puget Sound AAZK's facebook page to find sponsors looking for bowlers.
Raffle – If you come to the party you will be able to purchase raffle tickets.
We have general raffle tickets that go for $2 each, and premium raffle tickets that go for $5 each. Raffle prize information coming soon!
Sponsor - Can't make it to bowl or party but would like to sponsor a bowler and help them with a prize? Check out the Puget Sound AAZK's facebook page to connect with bowlers looking for sponsors. Donate - By clicking on the "Donate" button you can donate directly to the Puget Sound AAZK's effort to raise money for this nation wide event. Help us raise $15,000 this year! Sorry, but we cannot allocate donations to individual bowlers at this time.
If anyone would like more information on Bowling for Rhinos, check out their
website at:
Bowling For Rhinos
The site also includes a "history of funds raised" page which shows the top
chapters since 1990.
Again, in case you didn't catch it before, THANK YOU!!!
The Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK would like to personally thank all of you for your help and support to make Bowling for Rhinos 2011 a success. With bowlers, partiers, raffle, and donations, we were able to raise $4842 to send to Bowling for Rhinos, and we are very happy with the turnout. In addition to the event's funds, we received a Conservation Grant for $250 to go to BFR, thanks to Norah Farnham. Spin Alley was a gracious host, and we had lots of fun with the Cosmic Bowling. We are particularly proud that we got back into the event after a 4 year hiatus, so thank you very much for making Bowling for Rhinos a huge success!
Overall Funds raised by Bowling For Rhinos Surpasses the $4 Million Mark!
With the final check received today from the last Bowling For Rhinos (BFR) event of 2011, BFR has officially amassed over $4 million since the international fundraiser was established back in 1990. With today's check, funds generated by AAZK Chapters and animal facilities totaled over $277,000 for 2011.
Beginning as a small fundraising event organized by just a handful of zoo keepers, BFR grown to over 65 participating Chapters across North America. While primarily a bowing event, BFR is inclusive of all non-bowling fundraising events held in the spirit of BFR. Some of the BFR events include "Rocking for Rhinos," "Rummage for Rhinos," and "Recycle for Rhinos." One hundred percent of funds generated by BFR are distributed through AAZK's Conservation Resource Fund, supporting in situ conservation efforts in Kenya and Indonesia. These funds support the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, International Rhino Foundation, and in addition, Action for Cheetahs.
On behalf of AAZK National and BFR, I wish to thank all of the participating AAZK Chapters and animal facilities, who year after year have labored to raise funds to help support conservation efforts on two continents for both Rhinos and their habitat. This synergy of caring for conservation equals an incredible contribution which greatly impacts the survival of endangered rhinos and other species.
For more information about AAZK's Bowling For Rhinos, visit our website at:
Just to update you on the final tally for Bowling for Rhinos:
The grand total we submitted to the national BFR coordinator was $14,088.
This brings our total funds raised since the event was re-started at WPZ
in 2001 to $95,609.93.
This year, as our top fundraiser, Asian Bear Keeper Rana Bayrakci is a
candidate to win one of the four trips awarded to the top money raisers
nationwide. Since September 1st is the deadline for all chapters to turn
in their funds, hopefully we will find out in the next couple of weeks whether
or not Rana is going to Africa or Indonesia . Keep your fingers crossed,
Rana has worked very hard to raise money for the rhinos for many years!
As many of you know, Bowling for Rhinos will be suspended for the next
2-3 years due to the ICZ/AAZK conference we are hosting in 2009. We thank
you for all of your support of the event for the past 7 years.
The funds have been counted, and our grand
total raised at Bowling for Rhinos this year is: $12,875.20!!!
This brings our total for the past 6 events
to $81,431.93.
Since so many people ask every year how
we compared to the past years, I'm including a few statistics.
In 2001, 115 bowlers raised $10,765.00
The top fundraiser was Kristin Stubbs at $585.00, and the raffle
raised $415.00
In 2002, 142 bowlers raised $11,005.00 Top fundraiser
Eric Kowalczyk at $545.00, and the raffle totaled $501.00
In 2003, 138 bowlers raised $16,416.59 Top fundraiser
Nicole Harrison at $1175.00, and raffle was $970.00.
In 2004, 156 bowlers raised $14,368.45 Top fundraiser Rana
Bayrakci with $3,395.00 and raffle $1300.
In 2005, 111 bowlers raised $$16,001.69 Top fundraiser
Rana Bayrakci with $3,840.00 and raffle $1,741.00
In 2006, 60 bowlers raised $12,875.20 Top fundraiser
Rana Bayrakci with $2590.00 and raffle $1,388.00
Note that raffle money is included in
the total amount which is sent to National.
As you can see, we had the fewest bowlers
this year, and yet still raised a huge amount of funds for conservation.
It seemed that a limiting factor for bowlers was the fact that
we had the event on a Saturday this year. Since Leilani Lanes
closed down, and Sunset Lanes had to take all of Leilani's leagues,
etc., the only day we could hold our event was a Saturday. Hopefully
next year we will be able to get back to a weekday and more folks
will be able to make it.
We can't give out statistics without mentioning
two exceptionally devoted bowlers who have consistently gone
well above and beyond in their efforts to raise funds for Bowling
for Rhinos.
We give special recognition this year
to:
RANA BAYRAKCI, who, since
we've started bowling for rhinos here, has raised $11,341.00!!! KEITH NEITMAN, who has raised $7,598.50!!!
These two individuals have contributed
so much to the success of our event, we'd like you all to know
how much it means to us and to our conservation efforts. THANK
YOU RANA AND KEITH!!!
Again, huge THANK
YOU to all who participated
in some way to the success of this event, as well as the events
over the years.
ARAMARK deserves
a huge measure of thanks for supplying the food for this
year's event. This increased the amount we were able to contribute
since normally we pay well over $500.00 for the food every year.
Now those funds are going straight to conservation!
I won't have information about which chapter
and which individual were number 1 for this year until sometime
in September, and I will forward that along.
One final trivial statistic:
The raffle bag which held the tickets
for the weekend stay at Kalaloch lodge held 462 tickets!!! Thanks
to Jen McCrary who donated that item, it really
made a difference in our raffle! And thanks to Doreen Thompson
who sat and counted them! Congratulations to River Pullins for
winning that wonderful prize, enjoy it!
Again, many thanks from the Puget Sound AAZK Chapter,
for your continued help with and support for this important event.
greater one-horned population remains at 2,000. The Sumatran species numbers around 200 and the Javan species has fewer than 60 animals. But here is hope, the Southern White Rhino has been brought back from the brink of extinction by dedicated conservation efforts. 
nationwide sponsor fund raising bowling parties. Funds raised at Bowling for Rhinos fundraisers nationwide are pooled together and support Lewa Wildlife Conserv ancy (formerly called Ngare Sergoi rhino sanctuary) in Kenya, Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) and Way Kambas in Sumatra. These sanctuaries not only save rhinos but also these entire ecosystems! Since 1991 almost $4 million has been raised for rhino conservation.
Party - Come down to Spin Alley to support the bowlers, enjoy the included dinner, play trivia, purchase raffle tickets, and have a good time. There is also a no host bar. Dinner menu details will be available soon. The cost is $15, but you get a $3 discount if you register before February 15th. Soups, salads, and an assortment of delicious sandwiches are on the menu!
Bowling –Enjoy the party and dinner, only you get to bowl too! Guests who bowl are the ones who really drive this event; they are the backbone of our fundraising! Bowling skill does not matter because we do not collect “per pin” donations, only flat donations. Sign up on your own or create a team of up to five people. The cost is $25, but if you register before February 15th you get a $5 discount. Bowlers are required to raise another $30 in sponsor pledges to be turned in at check in on May 10th at Spin Alley. There will be special prizes for the three people who bring in the most amount of sponsor money which we will post as soon as we have them confirmed. If you are one of the two top earners nation wide you have won a trip for two to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya! Limited to 80 bowlers, so don't delay!
Donate - By clicking on the "Donate" button you can donate directly to the Puget Sound AAZK's effort to raise money for this nation wide event. Help us raise $15,000 this year! Sorry, but we cannot allocate donations to individual bowlers at this time. 
If anyone would like more information on Bowling for Rhinos, check out their
website at: