by: Emily DuBois

On Sunday, May 19th, 2013 the Pujols Family Foundation hosted its annual “Hitters & Splitters” Mother/Daughter Bowling event at Brunswick Zone in Chesterfield. The event provided a unique opportunity for over 200 mothers and their daughters with Down syndrome to enjoy a night out together full of bowling, dancing, food, and fun!

The night kicked off at 6:30 pm when the bright, eager smiles of moms and daughters began to fill the lobby to register, pick up name tags, receive their complimentary pink Pujols #5 hats, and get settled in for the eventful night ahead. There were many hugs, smiles, and words of welcome exchanged by old friends and new participants alike.

As the bowlers picked up their shoes and bowling balls and made it to their assigned lanes, many took advantage of the food and entertainment that was provided. Moms and daughters could choose from a variety of pizzas from Papa John’s and a nacho bar from Hard Rock Café that were set up in the lounge area of the bowling alley. They also enjoyed a delicious dessert spread of cookies from McAlister’s Deli and ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.

The arcade was open for play, and many girls rushed to have their pictures taken with a multitude of props in the photo booth provided by The Photo Booth Doctor. The alley quickly filled with a variety of festive balloon creations from Way Cool Balloons tailored to each girl’s liking, and mothers had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win one of two “Favorite Things” baskets donated by Deidre Pujols and Maggie Robinson.

Bowling officially kicked off around 7:00 pm, with a warm welcome by the Foundation’s Program Manager, Jen Cooper, followed by many gleeful cheers from excited bowlers. The alley was full from lane 1 to lane 40 with mothers and daughters ranging from 3 to 46 years old. As the bowling commenced, it was easy to see happiness and the spirit of community spread throughout the building. From supportive cheers and high fives to words of advice and wisdom, mothers and daughters truly exemplified the Pujols Family Foundation’s mission of “Faith, Family, & Others”.

The tempo of the evening picked up significantly as the lights dimmed, black lights and disco balls emerged, and a mix of dance songs came on for the start of cosmic bowling. Girls and their moms showed off their dance skills as they joined at the center of the lobby for a group rendition of the Cha Cha Slide and Cupid Shuffle. The music and camaraderie of the dances left everyone smiling and laughing as they returned to their lanes to continue cosmic bowling.

As the night approached its end, it was hard to believe the time had flown by so fast! Mothers and daughters began their goodbyes to friends and volunteers. As they left each girl received a gift bag full of goodies like chocolate truffles, jewelry, a 2011 World Series DVD, and many other items.

The consensus among the girls was that the night was an incredibly fun experience. Such a great time was had by all that they were already talking about other events coming up later in the year. Everyone was grateful to have this opportunity to spend time with family and strengthen lasting friendships.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the following people for their valuable contributions that made this event a success: Brunswick Zone in Chesterfield, Papa John’s, Hard Rock Café, McAlister’s Deli, Cold Stone Creamery, The Photo Booth Doctor, Way Cool Balloons, Harry & David, McDonald’s, Stir Crazy, Chick-Fil-A, Gamewear, Missouri History Museum, Mercy Ministries, Bill Greenblatt, Deidre Pujols, Maggie Robinson, and all of our wonderful volunteers!