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Woodstock Lawn Bowling Event to Support ALS Research

Thursday, 27 August 2026 07:26

By Marcie Culbert X @marcieculbert

Photo Credit: Bowl to End ALS page on Walk to End ALS website

The friendly tournament on September 3rd includes a spaghetti dinner for $15.

WOODSTOCK - It's the perfect chance to show off your lawn bowling skills or try the sport out for the very first time.

A friendly tournament will be taking place at the Woodstock Lawn Bowling Club on Thursday, September 3rd in memory of Diane Luke, who passed away after a battle with ALS in 2021.

Lisa Connelly is Luke's widow and she was also her caregiver in those final months. She says ALS is fatal neurodegenerative disease.

"It gets rid of peoples ability to walk, talk, care for themselves, eat, swallow, and eventually be able to breathe. At this point in time, there is no cure. There are some treatments that might help people with some of their symptoms, but there is nothing that can get rid of the disease and cure it."

A local group has been participating in an ALS walk every year after her death, and has raised over $21,000 for ALS programs and research since then. With this year marking the fifth anniversary, they wanted to try something different. 

Lorraine McLean, the President of the Woodstock Lawn Bowling Club, pitched the idea of a lawn bowling tournament.

"My idea was to have the lawn bowling club start doing charity events. So I said we should do a tournament with a dinner, and that is how it came about."

A spaghetti dinner will be served and it costs $15 per person. Those who are interested can etransfer treasurer@woodstocklawnbowling.ca in advance, or they can bring cash the day of. Those interested in registering for the tournament can e-mail McLean at lmclean@golden.net.

You can also donate to the cause online here.

Lisa Connelly and Lorraine McLean stopped by the Heart FM studio to chat with Cody and Marcie on Wednesday, August 26th. You can listen to the full interview below:

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