Earlier this month, Levin Bowls held the Arohanui Hospice Charity Bowling Tournament.

Many bowling clubs around the country are becoming involved in charity events, recognising the fact that bowls has a great part to play in the community.

The Levin event has now been going for four years, and going from strength to strength. “That make or break period when you first contemplate a charity tournament is past now,” says Tournament Convenor Neville Turnbull, “and the event is now well-established on both the Horowhenua bowls and charity calendars. It’s no longer about ‘if’ we’re running it again, but ‘when’ we’re running it. And others are asking ‘how can we help?’”

A few years ago, the Arohanui Hospice, which already provided palliative care in Manawatu, Taraua and Rangitikei, set up a clinic in Levin to provide out-of-home care in Horowhenua. The trust had found that a third of their patients came from the area.

“Like any charitable trusts, they’re always looking for more money to fund their activities,” says Neville, “And Levin Bowls thought it was a great cause to get behind.”

The day started at this year’s charity tournament with a welcome from ex-rugby commentator and master of ceremonies, John McBeth, also a player this year. “I just have to ring John and ask him to help us on the day, and he’ll be there,” says Neville. “It’s great to have him.”

A big field of 26 teams participated in this year’s tournament, playing two games in the morning and two in the afternoon. “It’s all about having a fun day,” says Neville, “and one of the things we do is to ask everyone to come in fancy dress. We’re not just handing out prizes for the winners of the bowls, but the winners of the best dressed as well.”

At the half time break during the day, bowlers were able to lunch and bid on a large number of donated items put under the hammer by celebrity auctioneer Arne Jansson. “We had no reserves,” says Neville, “So there were great deals to be had on household items like an air fryer and kitchen water filter and outdoors items like a garden gazebo and shrub shears. The bowlers snapped them up!”

They also snapped up the hamburgers and bacon and egg sandwiches that Ralda Adams and her team in the kitchen put on over the lunch break for a small donation. Hungrier bowlers could even get a snack from the Coop’s sausage sizzle throughout the day.

The day finished with Horowhenua District Mayor, Bernie Wanden, presenting the winners’ prizes.

“We were able to give Mary Timms, the Horowhenua Area Representative of the Arohanui Hospice Trust, a cheque for more than $11,000 to go towards the Levin Clinic. She was pretty stoked. So were we!”

Neville and the team at Levin Bowls are already contemplating next year’s event. Needless to say, if you can be of any help towards this great cause, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him.

Great work guys.

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WINNERS AT A GLANCE

Hospice Trophy
Les Galloway (s) Trevor Turnbull, Liz Galloway, Carol Turnbull. (Levin Bowls)

Summerset Master Green
1^st Les Galloway (s) Trevor Turnbull, Liz Galloway, Carol Turnbull. (4 wins 19 ends 48 points )
2^nd Murray Griffin (3 wins 18 ends 38 points)
3^rd Arne Jansson (3 wins 17 ends 31 points)
4^th Diana McGill (3 wins 16 ends 38 points)
5^th John Connelly (3 wins 15 ends 34 points)
The “unlucky” team: Graham Milligan

Cobb & Co Levin, Dales Green
1^st John McBeth (s) Eddie Ellison, Sue McFarlane, Dennis Hankines (Raumati Fiddlers) (4 wins 17 ends 51 points)
2^nd Laurie Field (4 wins 16 ends 50 points)
3^rd Doreen Moselen (3 wins 17 ends 34 points)
4^th Barry Rollinson (2 wins 16 ends 38 points)
5^th G McKay (2 wins 16 ends 26 points)
The unlucky team: Brian Sturzaker

Best Fancy Dress
Best Dressed Team Mary Timms’ Young Hearts (Levin Hospice)
Best Dressed Woman Robyn King
Best Dressed Man Brian Sturzaker (with Jimmy Adams a close second)

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE
Neville Turnbull; Liz Galloway; John McBeth; Ralda Adams; Arne Jansson; Bid-spotter John; Bid-spotter Turbo: Bernie Wanden; Mary Timms; Greg Hutchings; Phil Stirrat; Murray Griffin; Kerry Geertson; Bill Clelland; Dave Hemsley; Brian Cooper; Robert Evans; Liz Galloway; Dianne Short; Hillary Evans; Edy Connolly; Anne Williams; Kaye Lahman; Diana McGill

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING DONORS
Arlan Engineering Ltd, Ashtons (2010) Ltd, Bank of New Zealand, Ballentynes Fashion Central, Bartons Furnishings, Bentons Motel Berry’s Tararua Pharmacy, Bupa Te Whanau, Campbells Water Centre, City Honda Levin, Gary Coley, Colourplus Levin, John & Edy Connolly, Countdown Levin, Courtesy Ford Levin, Crighton ITM Levin, Dakin Auto Services, Designer Headstones, Farmers Levin, Finer Aluminium, Focal Point Cinema & Café, Freshpork Levin Ltd, Genoese Foods Ltd, Gipsy Caravans Levin, Graham Lang Plumbers & Gassfitters Ltd, Granite Tops Ltd, Margaret Griffin, Nathan Guy, Team Group Rentals Harcourts – Dot Scott, Horowhenua Chronicle, Horowhenua District Council, Horowhenua Motor Co Levin, Horowhenua Panelbeaters, Horowhenua Vision Centre, Stuart Irons, Kerridge Ltd, Kerry’s Upholstery Specialists, Kings Sound Centre, Kingston & Kemp Ltd, Leader & Watt, Levin A1 Joinery, Levin Bowling Club, Lewis Farms, Levin East Electrical Ltd, Levin Glassworks, Levin & Horowhenua Veterinary Centre Ltd, Levin Jewellery, Levin Mitre 10, Levin New World, Levin Party Hire, Levin Lucky Lotto, Levin RV Centre, Carol Marshall – PGG Wrightson, Masonic Medical Centre, McDonalds Levin, Mico Plumbing Levin, MM Centre Ltd, MSA Levin, OJI Fibre Solutions, Pac n Save Mini, Plumbing Solutions Levin, Plumbing World Levin, Prior & Palmer Ltd, Queen Street Dental Centre, Quin Roofing Levin, Richard Webb Ltd, Barry & Alida Rollison, Ross McColl Cars, Salt & Pepper Café, See Hear Levin, Simply New Zealand – Lynette Giblett, Snorkel New Zealand Ltd, Topglass Ltd, TRC Toyota Levin, Neville & Sharon Turnbull, Unichem Levin Pharmacy, VTNZ Levin, The Warehouse, W Crighton Charitable Company Ltd, The Wheelhouse, Woodhaven Gardens Ltd, Woodstock Joinery Ltd, B.S. Young & Son.

by Rob Davis