FARMINGTON – Members of the National Honor Society at Mt. Blue High School plan to spend part of Friday bowling, but not just for fun; they’ll be raising money for local food pantries through a bowl-a-thon.

“We wanted to do something to help out in light of the financial downturn and victims of that crisis,” said NHS President Sam Cohen. “We thought giving money to food banks was a step in the right direction.”

Nearly 50 of the 70 members will bowl from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Meadow Lanes in East Wilton to raise funds that will be split between the Farmington and Wilton food banks.

Students have taken pledges on the number of points they bowl as well as donations in fixed amounts, he said. People have been generous, with Cohen able to raise more than $100 in just an hour, he said. The bowling alley is letting the students use the alley at a reduced cost.

Donations are being accepted throughout the bowl-a-thon. Cohen can be contacted at 778-4965 if anyone wants to help the students with their goal.

“The NHS is very service oriented. Part of our message is our members have a lot of talent and abilities. We seize those talents and put them toward a good cause … pushing people to go out and do things for their communities,” he said.

Each member is required to complete two community service projects on their own each year. Activities can include tutoring, working in the community garden, reading to children or going to the hospital to work with elderly patients.

As a group, NHS members this year raised $250 during Breast Cancer Awareness week last fall. The group spent lunch hours dying their hair pink for a donation. Several students and faculty members donned the pink hair-do for a couple weeks.

A new venture involved their participation in the Winter Special Olympics at Sugarloaf.

Members are already looking forward to helping with the Maine Spring Olympics held at Mt. Blue High School later this spring.