Fort Wayne Curling Club Announces Launch of Lawn Bowls Initiative

The Fort Wayne Curling Club announced the launch of an initiative to introduce the sport of lawn bowls to the northeast Indiana community. The newly established Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club will operate as a division of the Fort Wayne Curling Club, offering lawn bowls from April through September each year, while curling will continue from September through April.

“The addition of lawn bowls will provide the Fort Wayne community with an excellent spring and summer activity for families and people of all ages and abilities,” said Craig Fischer, president and co-founder of the Fort Wayne Curling Club. “We are committed to making lawn bowls accessible to everyone, just as we have done with curling, and we are excited to extend our adaptive programs year-round. We also anticipate strong engagement with families and individuals of all ages. While it is sometimes viewed as a retirement sport, it is also quite popular among younger people. We aim to create a cool, relaxing environment where people can enjoy a summer evening in Fort Wayne with the refreshment of their choice.”

Lawn bowls, or “bowls,” is a precision sport popular in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and other Commonwealth nations. Players roll a biased ball down a bowling green toward a target ball, known as a “jack.” The biased balls, called “bowls,” follow a curved path when rolled, similar to a curling stone.

The history of bowls dates back to at least the 13th century in England and has roots in games played in ancient Greece and Egypt. The sport shares similarities with both bocce and curling, particularly in its scoring, terminology, and culture.

Lawn bowls will be played on a bowling green to be constructed on the grounds of the Fort Wayne Curling Club at 3837 N. Wells St., directly across from the Parkview SportOne Ice House. A bowling green is a roughly 120-by-120-foot, extremely flat grass area with short bentgrass, similar to a golf green, and a shallow ditch around it.

Once the green is completed, the Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club will offer weekly leagues, "Try Bowls" sessions for community members, corporate and private events, and programs for individuals with disabilities and senior citizens. The green will also accommodate croquet.

Fundraising efforts are underway to cover the construction costs. With support from the AWS Foundation, the club has already raised nearly 50% of the anticipated funds. In-kind contributions and corporate sponsorships are now being sought. Tax deductible financial gifts of any size can be made via check mailed to the club at 3837 N. Wells Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46808 or online at www.FortWayneLawnBowls.com.

The club is also building a mailing list of interested participants. Sign up for the Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls e-Newsletter at www.FortWayneLawnBowls.com and follow the Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club on social media for updates.