Fundraising event helps family affected by Newfield fire

In Newfield, a recent house fire left residents Leslie and four children in need. To help, Matthew VanEtten, owner of Memory Lanes bowling alley in Groton, organized a fundraiser.

“We’re wrapping up a fundraiser for the victims of a fire who lost everything just before Christmas,” said VanEtten.

The fundraiser included a raffle for tickets to the Dec. 31 Bills vs. Patriots football game, held in the Bud Light Club. The raffle tickets were priced at $10 each or 3 for $20, and the winner was drawn on Dec. 28. Participants could buy tickets online and didn’t need to be present to win, as the tickets were sent electronically. The drawing was broadcast live on Facebook, and the winner was Ray Morrissette.

The tickets were donated by Memory Lanes, which, VanEtten notes, is one of the few remaining bowling alleys in Tompkins County, along with Atlas Bowl in Trumansburg.

According to VanEtten, in the week and a half that raffle tickets were sold, the fundraiser raised between  $1,500 and $2,000. All of the proceeds went directly to Leslie and her family to help them recover after the fire.

In addition to the ticket raffle fundraiser, VanEtten will hold a doubles no-tap bowling tournament at Memory Lanes in January. In this format, two-person teams bowl three games, with nine pins counting as a strike. There will be a handicap, and then the total pins wins. The tournament will also contribute all proceeds to the family.

“There’s really no prize except for the gratification that you can support and help out,” said VanEtten.

This is not the first fundraising event that VanEtten and the bowling alley have put together. According to VanEtten, Memory Lanes held another fundraising event for a person who had an unexpected heart attack. That event raised just over $2,000 in a day.

“When trouble affects [someone], I try to do one fundraising event a year at no cost to the group,” said VanEtten. “We come together when there’s a need, and we are usually able to raise a little bit of funds to help just to get them back on their feet.”

According to VanEtten, Leslie, the person affected by the fire, has been a long-time bowler, making the bowling fundraiser fitting.

While the ticket raffle fundraiser has concluded, the upcoming bowling tournament in January offers another opportunity to support the family.

For more information about the bowling tournament, contact Matthew VanEtten at Memory Lanes Bowling Alley.

Newfield Notes appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Planning board to meet 

The Newfield Planning Board is scheduled to meet Jan. 3 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the town hall at 166 Main St. The meeting can be attended either in person or via Zoom.

What’s happening at the library 

Newfield Public Library will host Lego Night from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 4. The library is located at 198 Main St.

Family Storytime at Newfield Public Library is from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 5.

Yoga for Beginners will take place at the Newfield Public Library from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Jan. 6.

On Jan. 8, authors Gail Mazourek and Cynthia Machamer will be at the library from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. to discuss their new book, “Dreaded Voice: A Memoir.”

Dine to Donate to the Newfield Lions Club 

Make a donation to the Newfield Lions Club when you eat at Texas Roadhouse from noon  to 9 p.m. on Jan. 7. The event will take place at the Texas Roadhouse on 719-25 S. Meadow St., Ithaca. Participants can either dine in or take-out. 

Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of the proceeds to the Newfield Lions Club, but the event flyer must be mentioned to support the group.