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From an interview with Bowling Press Pro (BPP) in June 2006 - Bowl-for-Animal Rescue

BPPYBPP: You are hosting a fundraiser on July 29th. Who are you going to benefit?

Aleta: Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter (FFDAS)and the Michigan Animal Adoption Network (MAAN). We know that these organizations help animals find homes.

Michelle: The Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter and the Michigan Animal Adoption Network. Both Aleta and I are passionate about helping animals who need homes. We want to raise awareness for animal adoption and raise money to help the animals receive good care until they are adopted into a nice home.

BPP: Why have you chosen to benefit these organizations?

Aleta: Well, as far as the FFDAS, our vet is on their board and we would like to support the organization that she feels so passionate about. We chose MAAN because they will disperse money to all the different organizations that support adoption.

Michelle: These are two very reputable organizations who help shelter, care for and find homes for animals in need. Our veterinarian, Dr. Good of Dearborn is not only an excellent veterinarian, but I personally know how she contributes much of her own money to animals in need. Dr. Good serves on the board of the Dearborn Animal Shelter and highly recommends supporting FFDAS because she knows how they operate. I took her suggestion to heart. Recently having adopted Sisco through the Wyandotte Animal Group, they and others spoke highly of the Michigan Animal Adoption Network for the work they do. They facilitate adoptions and also sponsor volunteers who provide a Shot Clinic and a Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic for people in need.

BPP: Can you tell me about the event?

Aleta: Well, it is going to be a 9-pin No-Tap to just have fun and to meet new people. We are going to have music and food and have a good time while we are raising money to help all the animals in need.

Michelle: We are just going to get together and have fun over a 3 games of bowling with a 9-Pin "No-Tap" format. There will be a live D.J., food, door prizes, 50/50s, raffles and optional jackpots. The cash bar is available. Country Lanes is generously donating the lanes and the D.J., Chris Cramer, is donating his time. With this, we are hoping that virtually all proceeds will benefit the animals who need homes. It is such a worthy cause, and a way to have fun supporting it.

BPP: How much is it to bowl and how much of the proceeds will actually go to the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter and the Michigan Animal Adoption Network?

Aleta: It is $25 to bowl and 100% of profits will go to benefit both organizations.

Michelle: It's only $25/bowler, and cash or checks for registration will be made out directly to either FFDAS or MAAN. We will find corporate sponsors who will help us defray any expenses, so that the money from participants will actually go to help the animals. And, donations are tax deductible as both organizations are a 501c(3).

BPP: Why are you hosting this event?

Aleta: Because these organizations work so hard to help these animals out. We want to do anything we can to give these animals a good home. We want to help raise funds for the costs they incur while taking in these animals until they are adopted. I have adopted babies of my own and I feel like we need to help more animals find a good home.

Michelle: To help homeless animals have the care they need and to help them find loving homes. We truly want to help animals who need homes find them. That's why we rescue them. We want to raise money until they find a home, but we also want to encourage adoption. In the meantime, we want to help the shelters and adoption networks have enough funds to take care of these animals until they find homes where their eventual families will take care of them and love them. I have adopted animals for years, and I can only say that I cannot imagine my life without them. Sharing life with them is truly a blessing to me. Dogs are so cool and so amazing to me that I want all of them to have a loving home. Cats, too. They just thrive when they do have loving homes. You get to actually see more of their personality and who they are and you develop a relationship with them based on love. I have always felt that if you don't see God in them, you just don't see God. And, I know many people have so many reasons why not to adopt. Some people have their 'baby' and do not want to rock the boat and have another, because they think they will not give enough attention to their "baby". Some say it is too much to bother. I know, with my lab/pointer mix, Cocoa. I was on tour (bowling), and I rescued her, but did not know how I would do it. Bowling on tour at the time, I was in hotels that did not welcome animals. I just did it. Up and down the elevator, zipping her into a bowling bag so that they would not know I had a dog in the room. Laying everything out, then taking it all up to go to the bowling center and compete. A lot of work while trying to make a living, but she has given me joy that I could not imagine living without. Of course, it would have been easier not to do. I also could not fathom having another. She is my baby. But, when I rescued my 3-legged Australian Shepherd mix, Detail, she really enjoyed life more. Detail just loved Cocoa. They kept each other company. And then, George, (beagle, who looks like a basset, too!) was found. "The 3 Musketeers." It will always and forever be amazing to me how much love and joy has come from being together. They are friends to each other (thought George and Cocoa would never admit it!), and to me. Cocoa passed away, last September, totally unexpected, on my birthday. Devastating. I miss her. Just last month, Sisco was adopted. And he is really cool. I guess adopting is just easier not to do. But, we want to raise awareness and we are not encouraging people to do anything that we are not doing ourselves. Between Aleta and myself, we have 6 rescued animals, 3 cats and 3 dogs. Including last year, it would have been 8. Some do not think they have enough to offer. For a person or a family who cares, what they can provide to an animal who needs a loving home is typically better than what they have now.

BPP: How can people participate in Bowl-4-Animal Rescue?

Aleta: They can come and bowl, or they can get a group of friends or people at work to bowl. They can participate in the 50/50 raffles or donate a door prize or become a sponsor to the event. Or, simply pledge a donation to either FFDAS or MAAN.

Michelle: Register to bowl in the event individually or bring a team of five to fill the lane together and have a great time. Or, have your company donate a door prize to support the generous participants. You can also donate an item worthy of being a raffle prize to generate more revenue during the event to help the animals. Corporate Sponsorship packages are available to help defray expenses for the event itself and provide companies the opportunity to advertise to the participants who support the event.

BPP: Who can be contacted for either more information, to sign-up or to donate 50/50 prizes or door prizes?

Aleta: Call us up at our pro shop, Aleta Sill's Bowling World at 248-615-9060. Or, you can email Michelle who will be more than willing to help you with any questions you have or to sign you up to bowl.

Michelle: Contact me at the pro shop by calling 248-615-9060, or email me at michellemullen@twmi.rr.com. I will help in any way that I can, whether it is to answer any questions or accept a door or raffle prize, or sign bowlers up to bowl and have a great time for a great cause!

GREAT NEWS! Michelle Mullen's book Bowling Fundamentals was the #1 selling bowling book of 2004 nationwide out of all bowling books and publishers! She is #1 at her publisher, Human Kinetics, among all bowling titles they publish as well. In just one year - 8/03 to 8/04 - Bowling Fundamentals has sold 6,800 copies. Almost TWICE as many as the nearest competitor. Bowling Fundamentals went into its second printing early in the fall of 2004. WOW! Congratulations Michelle.

All publisher's statistics: 1. Bowling Fundamentals (Michelle Mullen) 6,800 2. Bowling Execution (John Jowdy) 3,882 3. Focused for Bowling (Dean Hinitz) 4. Bowling 200+ (Mike Aulby) 5. Bowling: How to Master the Game (Parker Bohn III) 6. From Gutterballs to Strikes (Mike Durbin)