When it comes to striking out cancer, Jaden Babiuk has his sights set on the headpin.
The energetic and focused six-year-old école Marie Poburan student has organized a charity event based on his favourite pastime. That’s correct — he’s six and he organized a charity event himself.
“I’m all about energy,” he said.
An avid bowler with the local YBC (Youth Bowling Canada) league, Babiuk started the Strikes for Cancer Bowl-a-thon as a fundraiser to support the Canadian Cancer Society. It was all his idea, according to his mom, and he did all the legwork.
“Jaden has always been intuitive as to what’s going on,” Lisa Babiuk said. “One day he just asked me if he could have a bowling tournament to raise money for cancer. I thought he just wanted to pretend at home. He said, ‘No Mommy, I mean for real.’”
The idea came after he participated in February’s St. Valentine’s Day Hair Massacure to support the Stollery Children's Hospital and Make-A-Wish foundations. Maybe he was inspired to act by seeing how people could rally around a cause that focused on fun and still made a huge difference for those who need it. Maybe he was only thinking about how little it takes to get a big ball rolling.
Saying no to her son was a difficult prospect but Babiuk didn’t allow herself to get bowled over. If he really wanted it, she thought, he was going to have to walk the walk.
“Jaden’s been working really hard. One of the stipulations I told him was that if he was going to do this tournament then he actually had to run it and do the work, not just dump it on Mom and Dad.”
With boyish gumption and no reservations, he asked management at the St. Albert Bowling Centre about hosting the event. They know him well from his frequent after-school league games. He has also been going out every day to solicit sponsorships and donations from business. So far more than half of the lanes have corporate sponsors.
“We need money for research,” he said. “What I usually do is just go out and ask.”
“It’s amazing what he’s done actually. We’re really proud of him,” Babiuk said, adding the business end of the event was the easy part. Finding people to sign up has proven to be bit tougher. Interest has been a little slow but that means there are still a lot of open lanes for people to fill up. “We’d really like to see it be successful.”
The Strikes for Cancer Bowl-a-thon takes place Sunday May 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The St. Albert Bowling Centre is located at 14 Inglewood Drive. Apart from bowling, there will be games, a silent auction, refreshments, lunch and prizes for the top fundraisers.
Pre-registration requires $50 in pledges per person or $200 for a team of six. Businesses can sponsor a lane for $125. For more information visit www.strikesforcancer.com. There is a registration form on the website or you can also call the bowling centre at 780-459-3337.
