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Bowling association celebrates with banquet at Batavia Downs Gaming

By Mike Pettinella

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TOURNEY CHAMPIONS: The McClurg Five team out of Perry captured the GRUSBC Association Tournament Open Division title this season. From left are Wes McClurg, Dave Kaczmarek, Bethann Cook-Kaczmarek, Tracy Werner and Steve Werner.

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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT: Collin Scheiber of Oakfield, congratulated by GRUSBC President Tom Fluker, was the recipient of a $750 scholarship.

MAY 15, 2017 -- The Genesee Region USBC inducted Robert J. "Bob" Foss Jr into its Hall of Fame Saturday night, honored tournament champions and league leaders, and awarded its $1,500 grand prize package to a Warsaw resident at the annual Association Banquet & Hall of Fame Dinner at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Foss, who passed away last October at the age of 55, was enshrined following a heartfelt speech by his son, Curtis, a standout GR bowler who was introduced to the sport by his father and grew up counting his dad as "my best friend."

The elder Foss won and cashed in numerous tournaments, starting as a youth bowler in his hometown of Medina, as a member of the Professional Bowlers Association and in the GRUSBC. He won the GR Masters in 2012 and the GR Memorial Scratch Eliminator in 2013.

"My father loved bowling; it was a passion that kept him going," Curtis said, with his sister, Cassidy, and uncle, Jim, standing behind him, and several family members attending. " ... And I understood his passion, and he passed it down to me in life. We shared it pretty much from the day I was born."

In 2013, Bob and Curtis teamed for an association-record 1,520 scratch doubles score at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, with Bob rolling a 770 series and Curtis adding 750.

"I'm so proud of my dad, so proud of everything he accomplished, and so proud that he has been inducted into the Hall of Fame in the region he grew up in bowling."

Other honorees included:

-- Collin Scheiber of Oakfield, recipient of the association's $750 scholarship to a graduating senior. Collin will be attending Daemen College in the fall.

-- All adult and youth tournament champions.

-- League bowling achievers, includilng Scott Culp of Lima, 242 average; Diana Hurlburt of Perry and Jenn Bardol of Rochester, 202 average; Chris Bardol of Rochester, 846 series; Jenn Bardol, 760 series; Jordan Fluker of Batavia, 300 game (youth); Morgan Allis of Medina, 277 game (youth); Alex Allis of Medina, 205 average (youth); Julia Menzie of Bergen, 177 average and 620 series (youth); Ian Wagner of Medina, 748 series (youth).

The $1,500 grand prize drawing was won by Kevin Gray Jr. of Warsaw, who gets to select from a variety of packages, including gift cards from Tops, Wegmans, Best Buy, Amazon.com, Home Depot or Lowe's; a $1,500 lottery basket; Batavia Downs Gaming weekend; dinner and a movie for a year; golf or bowling packages, or cookout at his home.

In other action, delegates approved two amendments that eliminate term limits for GRUSBC directors and officers, and elected Frank Jarkiewicz of Byron as vice president, and Bea Young of Medina, John Cipolla of Mount Morris and Gary Kuchler of Batavia as directors to three-year terms commencing Aug. 1.

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