Give a child a S.M.I.L.E.

Online, August 5, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Ann Arbor, MI (Danielle Bailey) July 7, 2010 Bowling for a Cause

The S.M.I.L.E. Foundation will be holding its first fundraising event on August 14, 2010. It is a Bowl-A-Thon to raise scholarship money for children who would like to participate in sports. The Bowl-A-Thon will be held at two different locations, Super Bowl in Canton, MI from 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM and Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor, MI from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. The registration fee for each bowler is $15 or $75 for a team and because it is a charity event all bowlers are asked to collect donation in the amount of $35+(individual) or $175+(team). Each bowler will receive two games of bowling, bowling shoes, pizza, pop, and a lot of fun. There will be prizes awarded for the highest score, the lowest score as well as the highest donation. A raffle and a silent auction will be held throughout the event. Bowlers can register online as a team or as individuals. If you cannot make the event one can still donate by going to the web site and donating.

The S.M.I.L.E. Foundation (Soccer Moms Investing in Life and Education) is a non-profit organization that was founded in June of this year by a group of Soccer parents that felt a need to help children in the community. Although, the title indicates that it is a group of just women, this is not actually the case. The S.M.I.L.E Foundation's Board members consists of both men and women. The group's mission is to promote an interest in physical education, health, and wellness through various sports related clinics and activities. S.M.I.L.E. Foundation is committed to helping children that can't economically participate in athletic programs get the help that they need. The S.M.I.L.E. Foundation offers scholarships for programs and sports equipment as needed.

Come bowling for a good cause. Many sports are now what we fondly call "pay to play" where there is a cost associated with the activity, whether your child is involved in a recreational sport or a sports program that is travel based, the costs add up. On average the cost of a high school football player is about $400 per season. The initial cost may seem incidental to some but to others it is quite monumental. The average cost of a soccer player on a travel team is $2,000 -$3,000 per depending on uniforms and tournament fees. While having children participate in these activities is not an essential part of their lives, it has been proven to be very helpful. There have been studies where sports play an active part in their lives. The shy child that comes out of their shell and has learned to make friends because they have become part of a team, the aggressive child that has learned to temper their anger due to having that other outlet, the frustrated student that can't focus but loves to play basketball and has improved their grades because they want to be at the next game are all examples of how sports have played positive parts in a child's life..

For more information about the S.M.I.L.E. Foundation and its First Annual Bowl-A-Thon log on to www.smile4youth.org. You can also contact the Founder and President Danielle Bailey at [email protected] or 734-528-4241, or become a fan on Facebook by typing in S.M.I.L.E, group.