Windsor bowling party raises funds for local film education programs

People dressed as characters from the Coen Brothers’ 1998 cult classic film “The Big Lebowski” took over the Windsor Bowling Center in Windsor Jan. 23 to roll some games in support of AVFilm.

More than 50 people attended the first-ever "Big LeBOWLski" event, which raised a little more than $10,000 from $150-a-piece ticket sales and donations for the north Sonoma County-based film-centered nonprofit’s educational programs, according to AVFilm founder and Executive Director Kathryn Hecht.

“The event was super fun, we took over the bowling alley for a few hours,” Hecht said. “I think one thing people enjoyed about it was still connecting to one another through film, but outside of a movie theater.”

In addition to bowling, attendees enjoyed pizza donated from KIN Windsor, bowling-themed cookies donated from Nobles Bakeshop and drinks purchased from the bowling center’s bar. The bowling center also played the movie on all the screens and blasted the soundtrack throughout the evening.

Guests also participated in a costume competition and a high score contest.

Healdsburg resident Tim Saunders won the costume contest, decided by crowd applause, for dressing as the character Jesus Quintana, and received a robe with a likeness of the film’s star Jeff Bridges as The Dude, embroidered by Santa Rosa clothier Big Mouth Unique. AVFilm board member Hillary Kambour bowled the highest score of the evening at 142 and won a bowling pin.

Money raised will go toward AVFilm’s in-school, after-school and summer educational programs, which offer media literacy and video production training and workshops to students throughout the county.

For more information, go to avfilmpresents.org.