Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Bowl for Kids’ Sake is coming soon. The event dates are February 28th, March 6th, and March 7th.

Appearing on Community Connection, retiring Area Director Charlene Dew announced that the website is live at bfksbartlesville.org. Charlene encouraged participants to start forming their teams. Last year, Bowl for Kids’ Sake had 84 teams in Bartlesville, and this year’s goal is 96. Charlene stated, "The fundraising goal is $155,000, and it’s going to be a blast."

Joining Charlene on Community Connection was her successor, Todd Edwards, as she will be retiring in a few days. Charlene has been introducing Todd to the partners and sponsors of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Bowl for Kids’ Sake.

Charlene said, "We’ve been doing stewardship visits with all of our sponsors and committing the 2025 sponsorships for both Bowl for Kids and Big Event. I wanted our sponsors, in particular, to meet Todd and make that connection." She added, "Todd brings new energy, fresh ideas, and I’m confident that he and the board will take this program to the next level. From where I sit, that’s the best you could hope for."

As for retirement, Charlene said she intends to take her time before committing to anything post-retirement. "Everyone I’ve talked to who has gone through this says take at least six months to a year; don’t rush. Yes, that’s the wisdom from everything you read and from anyone who has retired," Charlene shared.

Todd Edwards expressed his excitement for his new role, saying, "My wife and I, our family has been here for about 14 years, so we’re fully integrated. We’re Bartians. We love the community. I was looking for a job that would really connect me with the community. I’ve worked with kids in the past, so when I saw this opportunity pop up, I thought, man, this is going to be great. I’ve been in the role for about three weeks now, and Charlene has done a fantastic job of showing me the ins and outs."