LEWISTON – In honor of Veterans Day and the troops still deployed, Sparetime Recreation Bowling Center will begin coordinating an effort to send mini-bowling centers in a kit to a local serviceman, servicewoman or troop now on duty in Iraq.

“We’re delighted to be able to do this for our troops overseas,” said Andy Couture, owner of Sparetime Recreation Centers in Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville. “Through this campaign, each of our three bowling centers will be sending a little slice of home to our troops serving on the front lines. Our bowlers and our centers want to show that we appreciate their sacrifice.”

He said, “We are asking bowlers in each community to send us letters (250 maximum) about a service man, woman or troop that they think should receive the mini-bowling center. We will select from those letters where to send the kit.”

“Each of our centers will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a ‘Salute to Our Troops’ party and we will send out the mini-bowling centers then,” Couture said.

The kit is comprised of a portable 26-foot carpeted bowling lane, 10 rubberized bowling pins, a matching rubberized bowling ball, instructions and score sheets, which are stored in a nylon bag. It can be set up in a few minutes, whenever a break permits.

Contributors to the Sparetime Recreation program will each sign the nylon bag with personal messages.

The program is part of a nationwide effort coordinated by the sport of bowling, through the Bowlers to Veterans Link, a charity formed by the sport in 1942 to support those who serve the country.

Already, almost 400 kits have been sent to locations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other spots around the world.

For more information, to make a donation or to submit a letter, call Wendi Smith, marketing director, at 786-2695, write to Sparetime Recreation, 24 Mollison Way, Lewiston, ME, 04240, or e-mail Lewiston@sparetimerec.com.

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