This past month pediatric clients and their families from Brain Injury Services were treated to a night at Bowl America because of the generous support of two local philanthropists – Tina and Irfan Nawaz. Over thirty bowlers participated in the event as they enjoyed time bowling, playing games, and eating pizza together. If summed up in one word, the night was FUN!

“I think the bowling party was a great place for families to connect with each other” said Jo Thompson, Program Director of Child & Adolescent Services at Brain Injury Services. “Not only did the clients and siblings get to have fun and get to know each other better, but so did the parents, which was wonderful to be a part of.”

The idea for the event came one day when Tina and Irfan were bowling with some friends. They noticed another group of children bowling together and began to think about our pediatric clients. Having worked with Brain Injury Services before, they could imagine that not all families who have experienced a brain injury could so casually enjoy a night out like this. So they brought the idea to Brain Injury Services and said that they wanted to pay for a night of bowling for these families.

One of the parents wrote to Brain Injury Services and said, “I wanted to thank all of you at Brain Injury Services for organizing the bowling outing. It was really fun — we all enjoyed ourselves and it appeared everyone else did as well. It was also nice to meet the other participants. What a great idea — thanks to all of you for making this happen!”

After reflecting on the event, Michelle Thyen, the Director of Community Engagement at Brain Injury Services said, “We are so grateful for the support of generous donors like Tina and Irfan. They are the perfect example of how beautiful things can happen when we find ways to support others in a way that speak to our hearts.”