PBA Announces Goodwill Industries as Charity
Partner For World Series of Bowling

The Professional Bowlers Association has announced Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit as its official charity partner for the 2009 PBA World Series of Bowling. The announcement was made at a press conference Tuesday at Thunderbowl Lanes.

The Detroit area will host the inaugural World Series of Bowling (WSOB), a revolutionary festival of world-class bowling, beginning Aug. 2 and running through Sept. 6.

Goodwill Industries is the only organization solely dedicated to helping unemployed metro Detroiters overcome barriers and find jobs.

“Hosting the first-ever World Series of Bowling right here in the Detroit area will be an immense boost for our economy and our people,” said Lorna G. Utley, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. “In naming Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit as its official charity partner, the PBA will enable many metro Detroiters to overcome their barriers to employment and become trained, trusted and ready to work.”

In just the past two years of the organization’s nearly 90-year history, Goodwill Industries has placed more than 2,500 individuals from metro Detroit into new jobs and provided career assistance to thousands more in Southeast Michigan. For information about how Goodwill Industries battles unemployment in the region, visit www.goodwilldetroit.org< href="">.">http://www.goodwilldetroit.org/>.

With $2 million in prize money and seven ESPN telecasts planned as part of the WSOB, the event will focus the attention of the bowling world on the Detroit area unlike any previous event in bowling history. After kicking off the program with the Motor City Open at Taylor Lanes in Taylor, Mich., the WSOB will shift to Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park for the duration. A complete schedule of events is available at a new dedicated website, www.pbaworldseriesofbowling.com< href="">.">http://www.pbaworldseriesofbowling.com/>.

“For decades, Detroit has been the hub of bowling in the United States. It has produced dozens of hall of fame players and has contributed significantly to the history of our sport at all levels. For those reasons, it only made sense to bring the new World Series of Bowling to the community that has given so much to the sport,” said Tom Clark, Deputy Commissioner of the PBA. “Nothing like the World Series of Bowling has ever been done before. Over a span of five weeks, the PBA will bring the world’s best bowlers to the Detroit area to serve as a catalyst for economic impact and a rally point for the communities and businesses. It’s no secret that unemployment has hit the Detroit area as hard as any other region in country.”

WSOB events are being planned for the entire family, including pro-am events where amateur bowlers can roll with the pros. The pro-ams support Goodwill Industries’ mission of helping metro Detroiters overcome employment barriers through education, training and career assistance.

Further updates and details will be posted regularly on pba.com regarding the PBA World Series of Bowling and the rest of the 2009-2010 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, including tournament entry and ticket information.


About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) features the best bowlers in the world competing in National, Regional and Senior Tour events and awarded over $4.3 million in prize money during the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA National Tour. The organization has more than 4,000 members spanning 13 countries, and nearly one million viewers tune-in to watch the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour every Sunday on ESPN throughout the season. PBA sponsors include Bayer, Brunswick, CLR, Denny's, Etonic, Flomax, GEICO, Go RVing, H&R Block, Lumber Liquidators, Pepsi-Cola and the USBC, among others. For more information on the PBA, log on to www.pba.com< href="">.">http://www.pba.com/>.

About Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit provides people who have disabilities and other barriers to employment with opportunities to become independent, self-supporting citizens through training, work experience and employment in the community. Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit is a Michigan Works! affiliate and is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth and Detroit Workforce Development Department. Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. For information, visit www.goodwilldetroit.org< href="">.">http://www.goodwilldetroit.org/>.