HERMISTON, Ore.-Five organizations will benefit from $4,560 raised during a recent Bowling for Charities League at Desert Lanes.
“The more we can give back to the local community the better,” said Ray Fields, the General Manager of Desert Lanes.
Except for a break during COVID, Fields has been running charity leagues at Desert Lanes since 2019 when he was approached by the Freedom of the Road Ryders Motorcycle Club (FOTRR), a nonprofit, about doing an event to raise funds for a memorial bench at the Hermiston Cemetery.
Fields, who was familiar with the concept of charity leagues and had run them in Utah, was receptive to the idea.
The league, originally for fallen bikers, has now evolved with more groups, such as the Christian Motorcyclists Association coming on and different organizations and nonprofits being chosen to receive funds raised during the league.
After COVID, the charity league restarted to benefit warming stations in Hermiston and Pendleton during the fall and winter of 2021-2022.
With the money raised during that league, Desert Lanes was able to purchase necessary items, including hats, gloves and coats and deliver them to the Hermiston warming station, according to Fields.
In 2023 FOTRR ran the league, calling it “Bikers Bowling for a Good Cause,” and eight-teams bowled to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project and St. Jude’s.
By 2024 the league had grown to 11 teams and became known as “Bowling for Charities” with organizations such as Service Peace Warriors, an organization that trains and provides service dogs for Veterans in the Pacific Northwest, and the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch benefitting from the fundraising efforts.
This year 14 teams bowled in the league and Fields says there’s always room for more who may want to join.
“I would say 75 percent of the people in this league are non-traditional bowlers, they are here to have fun and bowl for a cause they believe in,” said Fields.
Bowlers rolled for causes such as the Bowlers to Veterans Link, a national organization that funds recreation therapy for Veterans and service members, The ARC of Umatilla County, which supports the rights of individuals with disabilities, the Desert Lanes Junior Bowlers, Service Peace Warriors and the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch this season.
The 10-week Bowling for Charity League runs as a standard league format with four-person teams of adults paying $20 a week to bowl.
“Desert Lanes runs the league as a straight 50-50,” said Fields. “Ten dollars goes to the house for lineage fees and the other ten goes back to the causes teams are bowling for.”
The league is competitive, but fun, and while standings are kept the real winners are the organizations teams are bowling for, with many bowlers choosing to donate any winnings right back to charity.
On the last night of the season Desert Lanes has a pizza and salad bar for the league, as well as auctions and raffles to raise even more money.
“With the silent auction and raffles I think we were able to raise about another $550 this year,” said Fields.
While the charity league continues to grow, Desert Lanes has held one-time fundraising events throughout the year to benefit nonprofits or community organizations, such as local bowling and equestrian clubs or the ARC of Umatilla County.
“Any group that wants to organize a fundraising event or join a fundraising league, I’ll walk them through the process,” said Fields. “We’re here to help raise money and give back to the local community.”
Funds raised during the 2025 Bowling for Charities League at Desert Lanes
Bowlers to Veterans Link: $130
The ARC Umatilla County: $250
Desert Lanes Junior Bowlers: $130
Service Peace Warriors: $2,025
Central Oregon Veterans Ranch: $2,025
Desert Lanes is located at 1545 N. 1st Street in Hermiston. For more information on running a fundraising bowling event call 541-567-6364.
