“I was lucky I came home,” Petraglia said.
Not long after his return home, the New York native became involved with the Bowlers to Veterans Link. He has been an avid supporter of the national nonprofit organization that supports veterans and active duty service men and women ever since.
“These men and women are heroes because they are willing to risk their life for their country,” he said. “It’s the least we can do.”
Petraglia is so passionate about the sport’s oldest charity organization that he recently held his namesake PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open for a 15th time – raising $50,000.
Dayton area bowlers will soon have a chance to contribute to the BVL as the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of Greater Dayton is hosting a Bowl for Veterans event on May 27 at 11 local bowling centers. BPA of Dayton president Mike Irwin explained that acknowledging the contributions of veterans – locally and across the country – is critically important to the BPA.
“We all have our own charities that we work with, but this one is different,” Irwin said. “The industry is very involved at the national level which means we can make an even greater impact.”
The Bowlers to Veterans Link provides a variety of recreational and entertainment programs and services – from sports clinics and tournaments to performances. The programs have both physical and emotional benefits – helping veterans maintain or recover basic motor skills as well as providing opportunities for socialization.
“Everything BVL does is for therapeutic purposes,” Petraglia said. “We want to give the veterans as many good days as we can, one day at a time. People don’t know what some of these vets go through – day in and day out. We want them to be able to say, ‘I’ve had a nice day today.’”
BVL has raised approximately $50 million since it was established during World War II, but that isn’t what Petraglia is most impressed by.
“It’s that 94 cents of every dollar raised goes to the vets,” Petraglia said. “It’s really making a difference.”
Bowl for Veterans
When: May 27
What: Participating BPAGD centers with donate $1 from every game bowled to the Bowlers to Veterans Link
Participating locations: Beaver-Vu Bowl, Bowl 10 Fairborn, Capri Lanes, Century Lanes, Pla-Mor, Poelking Lanes, Poelking South, Poelking Marian, Poelking Woodman, Royal Z Lanes, Victory Lanes.
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