I just wanted to take this opportunity for thanking the involved people for a tremendous effort in bringing school bowling to Auburn. Bruce Tuttle, Steve Spinney, Gary Feldman, and Michelle Feldman all deserve credit for efforts made. I'm sure there are others that I may have forgotten, other parents from last year's and this year's youth bowling leagues and, of course, the youth bowlers themselves.

I also want to thank the Auburn School Board for recognizing this and perhaps considering some funding in the years to come.

As many may know, bowling is among the top participation sports in the world. As my children grow, I've seen youth bowling grow around them, with more and newer faces each year. This makes the sport more competitive for many as they strive to be so competitive.

I'm not sure how much the Auburn Bowling Association is involved, if at all. I'm not sure how those particular politics work. Being in Auburn, with the work being done by our own people, perhaps some formal recognition can be made for Bruce and the staff at Falcon Lanes.

I've known Mr. Tuttle for a few years now and can see how passionate he is about youth bowling. I've known Gary and Michelle for a few years as well and can never say enough about their efforts to provide instruction to our children and recognize the growth of such a fantastic sport.

Lastly, I want everyone that reads this to understand that this program will be self-financed this year. The bowlers will need to raise money for nearly everything. I ask that parents of student athletes please help. I ask that all bowlers please help. Anything we can do together to make this first year a success will only assist the bowlers in achieving a greater success in the years to come.

Again, as a parent of one hopeful and Auburn USBC Member, I want to thank everyone for their participation and hope that the bowling community can come together to make this a great first season and set the foundation for years to come.

Eric Hodson Sr.

Auburn