Opinions requested

[PSBA10]

Being a state vice president I am often asked to fill in for the state president at hall of fame induction dinners and other functions where I am required to speak. Typically I congratulate the inductees and then talk about the three state tournaments and our scholarship program. This year I intend to add something to that. Please read below and critique, not necessarily for the grammatical problems, but the thought process.

Thanks

Over the last several years I have conducted a personal survey. I asked league bowlers, local association officers, hall of fame inductees, and state association officers and directors why they got involved with the organizations that they did. Although there were several answers, there was one that was predominant across all asked. Is the survey scientific? No, but it does make one think.

Years ago during bowling’s heyday our social structure was much different. People would get together as neighbors and talk over the back fence or coffee in the kitchen. Family and friends would just drop by for a visit because they just happened to be in the area. If the people being visited were working in the yard or cleaning the house, so what. Everyone pitched in and got the job done. No one cared if the floor was swept or the grass was cut. We stopped in for their company. In those days we didn’t have to call ahead to make sure it was OK to stop. People knew they were welcome at any time.

Today we need to make appointments to visit our friends and family, and after several times being told “Sorry, we’re busy.” The calls stop. Many times neighbors don’t even know each other.

What does this have to do with my survey? Well, the answer I heard most was, “because someone asked.” This is also the answer I would have to give if asked why I started bowling, or why I became a local association director, or a state association officer. How about your situation? Does this answer apply to you?

Several years ago there was a movie produced called “Pay-it-Forward.” The premise of the movie was that if someone does something nice for you, rather than paying them back, you do something nice for four other people, in effect paying the good deed forward. Someone did something very nice for each of us by asking us to join them bowling. How many times have we paid that good deed forward? This is the sport we all love. We all know that organized bowling has been declining for numerous years. If we want to see our sport grow again, the solution is in our hands all we need to do is ask.

Someday when the next generation is being inducted into halls of fame they can respond to the question why by saying, “It’s because someone asked.”

[onefrombills]

sounds really good ....and thats why im a part of our local assoc , I was asked to join

[PSBA10]

Thanks Brian. That was the predominant answer to my "straw poll". Maybe if we ask our neighbors and friends like someone asked us, who knows what can happen.