Allison Judge helps her daughter Jo get an award at a recent Roger’s Smiles Bowling League banquet.
Submitted photo
GREENFIELD – Bowling and friendship was celebrated in a recent event for the Roger’s Smiles Bowling League.
Greenfield-Central students at all grade levels with special needs in the district’s Functional Academics classes are invited to attend monthly bowling outings at Strike Force Lanes. The program is in honor of Roger Untrauer, a former student who loved to bowl.
“This program teaches kids so many skills,” said teacher Beth Forthofer in an email of the league that has been going for more than 10 years. “There is the obvious social and leisure activity of bowling. Providing opportunities for a lifelong leisure skill is important. There is opportunity for math lessons for all levels, K-12, in learning numbers and keeping score.”
A therapy dog interacts with Ashley Fishburn, a Harris Elementary School student, at a recent Roger’s Smiles Bowling League banquet.
Submitted photo
Emmanuel Gonzalez, parent of Harris student Dereck Nevarez Gonzalez, took time to explain to a child under a table what each military vehicle does at a recent Roger’s Smiles Bowling League banquet.
Submitted photo
The event was May 24, which was actually Roger Untrauer’s birthday. Joe and Carol Untrauer were in attendance in honor of their son, as well as other members of the family. They help with passing out awards and also give gifts to children, such as hats, shirts with sports logos; as well as flowers for the teachers.
More than 100 students, staff and families attended the banquet, which was catered by Greenfield-Central High School students studying culinary arts.
“A beautiful thing that this banquet does is bring all of our students together to award their accomplishments,” Forthofer said. “ But also, it brings all of the parents and staff members together who help these children. One parent was beginning to get embarrassed at how her child was reacting to something. I said, ‘Everyone here understands in a very special way.’ There is a special amount of love and understanding that is put into helping people with special needs. This banquet is a safe place to enjoy all of that.”
