Bowling for Rhinos (BFR)
Applications being accepted for the Bowling for Rhinos Conservation Resource Grant
Coordinator
Patty Pearthree
Total Funds Raised to Date: $4,321,808.48
2012 Funds Raised to Date: $337,191.09- this is a new record for amount raised in a year!
Purpose
The AAZK Bowling for Rhinos program provides zoo keepers of the world with an avenue to raise funds and awareness for rhino and habitat conservation.
“AAZK’s Bowling for Rhinos” fund raiser began on a small scale and is now an AAZK-sponsored North American event raising between $200,000- $300,000 annually. Our goal now is to raise at least $500,000 annually. In 1990, we began by supporting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (formerly Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary) in Kenya.
AAZK realized that the zoo keepers of the world were extremely conservation oriented and wanted to help save rhinos and their habitats, yet did not have the financial resources themselves to make any significant impact. That’s when the idea came to start a national bowl-a-thon called Bowling For Rhinos.
The beauty of the idea is that these fundraisers are organized by volunteers, who donate their time and organizational skills to help raise money to send directly to the places in need. Since all the people involved are volunteers, 100% of all donations are sent directly to these in situ rhino conservation areas!
In Kenya Africa BFR supports the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where our donations help protect both black and white rhinos and most of the other species native to East Africa.
In Indonesia BFR supports the remaining Javan Rhinos at Ujung Kulon National Park and the Sumatran Rhinos in Bukit Barisan Selatan and Way Kambas National Parks through the International Rhino Foundation.
BFR also supports Action for Cheetahs in Kenya. Cheetahs share much of the same habitat as rhinos and by working to conserve cheetahs we are also saving rhinos and the countless other species that call that habitat home.
Many organizations participate in these events, and have added the Rocking For Rhinos, Rummage For Rhinos, and Recycling For Rhinos projects as other ways to raise funds for this very worthwhile project.
Bowling For Rhinos has broken the $4 million mark and we continue to reach towards attaining our goal of $500,000/year! Together with you AAZK can do it. We have and will continue to make a difference in the conservation world. Please send your organization’s contact person/contact info ASAP along with the date of your event to our national BFR Coordinator. Please contact Patty Pearthree: patty.pearthree@aazk.org for more information. Reminder, there is a $25 registration fee for BFR events which covers administrative costs so that 100% of all donation can go directly to rhino conservation.
There is a new Yahoo groups email for Bowling For Rhino Coordinators. If you would like to be part of this email group, please email Barbie Wilson at rhinobarbie@hotmail.com. This will let you communicate with each other on questions about t-shirts, bowling alley prices, how to get more support from your zoo, etc. with other BFR local coordinators.
Check the calendar below to see if there is a local event in your area. If you would like to have your event listed, please send your BFR event date & contact info to: patty.pearthree@aazk.org.
To find contact information for specific chapter events click here.
Chapter Totals
If your chapter would like to check their yearly totals you can do so here.