New bowling association formed for tri-county region

Middletown — The new Tri-County New York United States Bowling Association has officially elected officers and directors and is now the official representative of bowlers in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. Elections were held at the membership meeting at the Middletown Elks Club on Saturday, April 1. David Kinney, Sr., is the president, Vera Green is the first vice president, Mary Lee Williams is the second vice president and Vinnie Collura is the sergeant-at-arms. The 15-member board of directors includes: Ed Guthrie, James Reilly, Linda Drew, Carmela Montaperto, Dean Shattuck, Steve Drapala, C.J. Bull-Knuth, Rudy Hoke, Ed Townsend, Michele Bensley, Jamie Willis, John Smith, Neal Bensley, Barbara Neist, and Robert Baldwin. During the meeting, bowlers listened to audit reports, and approved a proposed budget and new bylaws. The new association represents bowlers from Port Jervis Lanes, Minisink Lanes, Middletown Lanes, Liberty Lanes, Kiamesha Lanes, Callicoon Lanes, Beechwood Lanes, Ellenville Lanes, Frontier Lanes, and Hoe-Bowl Lanes in Walden. The Tri-County New York association replaces, but includes the members of, three former groups: Tri-State Women’s Bowling Association, with 1,554 women; the Sullivan County Men’s Association, with 533 men; and the Middletown Men’s Association, with 1,315 men. The United States Bowling Association has replaced the former men’s American Bowling Congress and Women’s International Bowling Congress, to become the central brand for bowling in the United States. The national association intends to work to get the United States Olympic Committee’s approval for getting bowling into the Olympics.