3rd Annual Dream On Bowl-a-Thon Knocks Draws 160 Supporters

Top fundraiser, Zach Putnam, and his team, "Lawn Bowling" celebrate the more than $1,500 they raised for Dreamers.

Portland, March 14th, 2015. “I Have a Dream” Oregon hosted its largest Bowl-a-Thon to date, raising more than $11,000 to support out-of-school and summer programs for Dreamer students from low-income communities. In its 25th anniversary year, 15 teams and 160 guests came out for a night of bowling, pizza, and fun at Interstate Lanes. The fundraiser helps provide more than 1,500 students from low-income communities with a high-income shot at success in school, college and careers. The organization’s Young Leaders Collective (YLC), an associate board of young professionals, played a key role in the event’s success. The top fundraisers were YLC members Zach Putnam, Calvin Bair and Jude Lieberman, who raised nearly $4,000 combined.

Dreamers Thadeus and Lidia, with mom Daphne, bowled strikes at the family-friendly portion of the event.

Team theme contest winners, “Pin and Tonic” and “Bowlin’ with the Homies” show off their winning costume swag.

More than half of the achievement gap between lower and high income youth can be explained by the unequal access to summer learning opportunities.

“I Have a Dream” Oregon expressed its special thanks to the event’s sponsors:

M Realty
Metro Metals NW, Inc.
D Wright Way Foundation
Lawn Chair
Mollet Printing
Timmco Insurance, Inc.
The Rock Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits
The Mississippi Pizza Pub
Sizzle Pie
Hot Lips
Domino’s

BACKGROUND:

ABOUT “I HAVE A DREAM” OREGON

Since 1990, “I Have a Dream” Oregon has helped students in low-income communities with three proven core services: long-term relationships with caring adult mentors; access to wraparound services; and creating a “culture of college and career” within schools and Dreamer families. Their mission is to empower students from low-income communities to thrive in school, college and career. In Oregon, there have been more than 869 student Dreamers served since the first student class was ‘adopted’ in 1990, with more than 1,000 additional Dreamers currently served at the Nation’s first Dreamer School in outer SE Portland.

Learn more at www.dreamoregon.org

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.