Family Bowling Center welcomed students from Fort Dodge Schools, Eagle Grove, Humboldt and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows.

Cheers erupted as bowlers knocked down the pins at the end of the lanes.

Bowler Mason Doughty, from Cooper Elementary School, likes watching the pins get knocked down.

“It was good,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Courtney Hardman, a student at Fort Dodge Middle School, tosses her bowling ball down the lane at Family Bowling Center for Special Olympics Bowling on Thursday afternoon.

A handful of Fort Dodge Senior High students volunteered to help at the event.

Senior Lexi Hanson and junior Aryssa Lumsden helped Doughty line up his bowling ramp to send his ball down toward the pins.

FDSH junior Ryleigh Habhab started volunteering with Special Olympics two years ago.

“My aunt is a special education teacher and she encouraged me to and I have a lot of family who do Special Olympics,” she said. “And I love being here. They’re so nice, I love it.”

On Thursday, Habhab also helped bowlers use the ramp to launch their bowling balls.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
FORT DODGE SENIOR HIGH students Aryssa Lumsden and Lexi Hanson help FDMS student Mason Doughty line up his shot during Special Olympics Bowling at Family Bowling Center on Thursday afternoon.

“One of the girls didn’t know how to hold it, so I showed her how to hold it,” she said.

Habhab encourages other FDSH students to volunteer with Special Olympics when the basketball and track and field events return in the spring.

“It’s super fun and anybody can do it,” she said. “I’m planning on volunteering for the rest of the years (I’m in high school).”

Thursday was the only Special Olympics Bowling area event for this year, organizer Liz Rusher said. Due to COVID-19, the state competition will not happen this year.

The next Special Olympics event will be Special Olympics Basketball in mid-Feburary at Butler Elementary School. Following that will be Special Olympics Track and Field in April at Dodger Stadium.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Jasmine Hardman, a student at Cooper Elementary School, sends her bowling ball down the lane at Family Bowling Center during Special Olympics Bowling on Thursday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Landen Stanley, a Cooper Elementary School student, participated in Special Olympics Bowling at Family Bowling Center on Thursday afternoon.