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BUSINESS

Spigner Named to IBMA Hall

ormer bowling proprietor Bill for six years and in TenPin Alley for Showboat Lanes Manager and National
F Spigner, who compiled a record on three years. Bowling Stadium Vice President pf
the lanes that landed him in seven halls All told, he has written more than 400 Operations Jack Cook.
of fame, including that of the United published instructional columns, help-
States Bowling Congress, has been ing bowlers of all skill levels improve Big BVL Donation from BPA
elected to yet another: the International their games and enjoy the sport more. of the Carolinas and Georgia
Bowling Media Hall of Fame. He will “I never considered myself a true ere’s nothing like a challenge to
receive the Luby Hall of Fame Award on journalist,” Spigner said upon learning motivate people to act — especially
April 24 at the USBC Convention in Las of the honor. “I never had any education when the challenge involves doing
Vegas. in writing anything or got involved in something good for America’s veterans.
Spigner, who owned Hawthorn writing until Bowling Digest. I wasn’t a e Bowling Proprietors Association of
Lanes in Vernon Hills, Illinois, with his true writer, but I learned an awful lot not the Carolinas and Georgia was chal-
wife Barb from 1989 to 2008, also has only about bowling but how to structure lenged to top its prior-year donation of
contributed to the sport as a top-level an article. To be up there with the other $5,380 to the Bowlers to Veterans Link
coach and, perhaps somewhat under guys in there is shocking.” and responded by bringing several
the radar, as a proli c writer. Spigner e IBMA will present three other “BPACG dogs” out of retirement, assign-
authored an instructional column for service awards in Las Vegas: ing each to a board member, and seeing
every issue of Bowling Digest magazine, • Alberta E. Crowe Meritorious if they could coax a $300 donation from
which published from 1983 to 2004. Service Award — PBA Commissioner each center to which they were assigned.
In 2008, he became a senior writer for Tom Clark. e e ort culminated at the association’s
Bowlers Journal International, penning • Mike Hennessy Award of Merit — annual convention, where some impres-
“ e Pro Approach” column as well as Former IBMA President and Operations sive numbers were revealed. In addition
occasional feature stories. His writing Manager Jackie Wycko . to the funds raised by the “dogs,” numer-
also appeared in e Chicago Bowler • Rip Van Winkle Award — Former ous members were handing over $100
bills to bump up the total. Dan Mowery
of Bowl Now saw what was happening
and donated, as did Your Retention Gu-
rus and Player One Amusement. en
came the jaw-dropping moment: Bryan
Collier, proprietor of Bu aloe Lanes in
Mebane, North Carolina, was selected as
the convention’s $5,000 winner — and
immediately handed back the check,
donating it all to BVL. When all was
said and done, the BPACG’s donation
Two Wisconsin centers recently were honored by civic organizations for their amounted to $41,164.60. Which brings
contributions to the communities they serve. In the group shot are members up an obvious question: Will the “dogs”
of the Cieslewicz family, who operate Whitetail Lanes Bar & Grill in Amherst be up to the challenge of breaking this
Junction, which was named Small Business of the Year by the Portage County year’s record next year?
Business Council. Proprietor Steve Cieslewicz (second from right) is joined by
(from the left) manager Brad Cieslewicz, manager Shaina Peterson, Steve’s wife GRAN PRIX Bowling Supply
(and Peterson’s sister) Stacy Cieslewicz and daughter Stephanie Bembenek. Is Acquired by DiLaura Bros.
More than 400 attended the council’s annual dinner. In the individual picture
is Erik Gialdella, proprietor of Revs Bowl Bar & Grill in Oshkosh, recipient of the Joe and Sue Jozwik of DiLaura Broth-
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award for 2023. ers Bowling Supply have acquired St.
Gialdella is the immediate past president of the Bowling Centers Association of Louis-based GRAN PRIX Bowling Sup-
Wisconsin, while Cieslewicz is a director on the association’s board. ply from its founders, David and Patricia
Caldwell. e Caldwells served the

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