Supporters came out to remember Ron Milgate at the first Bowl for Ron last year.
Bowl for Ron 2, Sat., Jan. 28, 3-5 p.m., Chacko’s Family Bowling Center (195 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd., Wilkes-Barre). $20/bowler, $100/6-person team. Proceeds benefit American Cancer Society. Tickets via teamlife72@yahoo.com, Wegmans (220 Highland Park Blvd., Wilkes-Barre).
Usually when we lose someone we love, we want to treasure the moments we have had with our departed friends. Sometimes we do it by remembering the good times and living our life the way we know would make our angels in heaven proud, just like Joe Carey decided to do for Ron Milgate.
Carey is the coordinator of Bowl for Ron 2 and part of Team Life, a nonprofit community service group from Wegmans. Carey was friends with Milgate’s brother, Ryan Flynn, and wanted to find a way to honor Milgate.
Bowl for Ron 2 will be held at Chacko’s Family Bowling Center Saturday, Jan 28 from 3-5 p.m. The event honors Milgate, who died in 2010 at the age of 43 and had been involved with The Wilkes-Barre Society of the Deaf (WBSD) bowling league. Bowl for Ron 1 raised more than $30,000 for WBSD; this year the proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, since the organization played an important role in Milgate’s life.
Milgate’s family wanted the proceeds to go to the ACS because it helped him through the rough spots in his journey.
“Throughout the years, he developed different types of cancer,” said Carey. “American Cancer Society helped him throughout the years.”
Carey was heavily involved in the first Bowl for Ron, which was held at Chacko’s as well and raised more money than he ever imagined. And Carey made it clear that the night exceeded his expectations, and he never thought the first event would be so successful.
“We were completely sold out,” he said. “This was the first time we ever did anything like that.”
The reason for having a bowling event to honor Milgate is because bowling was a big part of his life, and he was involved with the WBSD bowling league for most of his life. The event is a way for everyone who knew Milgate to pay tribute to him and have fun at the same time.
“The event is doing something he liked to do,” Carey shared. “Me and (Flynn) grew up together. We asked if we could do something to honor his brother.”
Carey hopes to see Bowl for Ron carry on for years to come.
“We want to do it as many years we can,” he said. “Hopefully when I leave, someone will take over, and this will be a yearly event.”
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