Lake Park’s annual Bowl-A-Thon has raised money for Reye’s Syndrome for the last 33 years, and about 75 bowlers took part in this year’s event on Oct. 14 at the Roselle Brunswick Zone on Lake Street.

    Reye’s syndrome is a disease that mainly causes harm to the brain and liver. As of right now there is no known cause, but through research, it’s been linked to taking aspirin or other medicine containing salicylates during a viral infection like the flu or chicken pox. Reye’s syndrome affects all ages.

    DECA, HOSA, and FCCLA members collected donations over the last two weeks. The donation could either have been for a specific amount or a pledge per pin that the bowler will knock down. The Bowl-A-Thon consists of two full ten frame games of bowling.

    “It was really fun because we got to bowl with our friends…and have pizza together,” said HOSA Vice President and senior Kori Sye. “[We] got to meet the family…who lost their daughter to Reye’s syndrome.”

    Marianne Piemonte, head of the Aspirin Committee Chair and NRSF volunteer for over 10 years, had a daughter that died of Reye’s Syndrome. Her son went to Lake Park at the time, and suggested the Bowl-A-Thon money go towards Reye’s Syndrome instead of muscular dystrophy

    “My 3 year old daughter Tina developed Reye's Syndrome in 1972 one week after she came down with chicken pox,” said Piemonte. “Like most good mothers at that time, I gave her aspirin to treat the fever that came with chicken pox.  Sadly she did not survive. 

    “My son Robert was in the first [Bowl-A-Thon] sponsored by DECA under the guidance of teacher Terry Hurst.  He told Mr. Hurst our story and how desperately we were working to find a reason why so many kids were getting Reye's Syndrome after they had a viral infection.  The rest is history.”

    The Bowl-A-Thon then began to support the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation and continues due to the work of Aspirin Committee Chair of the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation (NSRF).

    Lake Park looks to get as much as they can for the cause. After collecting $2,500 last year, DECA, HOSA, and FCCLA raised over $3,000 this year.

     Throughout the 33 years of the Bowl-A-Thon, Lake Park has raised almost $90,000.

    “[I] am delighted that I’ve had such an overwhelming response from our DECA members, our HOSA members, and our FCCLA members,” said DECA sponsor Kevin Jones.

DECA was the first Lake Park organization to support the Bowl-A-Thon, but HOSA and FCCLA are now also involved.

    “HOSA has been doing the Bowl-A-Thon for the last…four years,” said HOSA sponsor Kathleen Lovelace-Birk. “[The] HOSA members not only have fun with it, but have raised a lot of money for a good cause…we’ve also helped educate the school by putting up educational posters about Reye’s [syndrome].”

     The Bowl-A-Thon is the longest-running fundraiser for the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation.

    “We are proud and honored to have been designated as recipient of funding for so many years,” said Piemonte. “We are  grateful to the hundreds of students and their club teacher/sponsors  who have helped raise funds for the past 33 years.”