The YMCA of Indiana County welcomed NFL Hall of Famer and champion of mentoring Jerome Bettis as their special guest yesterday for their Bowl For Kids Event.
(Bettis signs some Terrible Towels and footballs as part of the Bowl for Kids event on Thursday. Photo by Kris Mellinger)
While “The Bus” couldn’t hit the lanes, he did take time to talk with many of the participants at a special pre-event reception at the YMCA. He talked about Reggie McKenzie, a mentor he had that made a major impact in his life. While his parents were big influences, it was McKenzie’s influence added to that that helped guide him while he was growing up. McKenzie had started Youth Football Mini-Camps and Jerome not only learned about the game of football, but about life’s hardships. He said that the best part of the mentoring was that he was able to learn about potential mistakes and not have to go through them himself.
(Bettis speaks to the crowd at the YMCA gymnasium as part of “Bowl for Kids”. Photo by Kris Mellinger)
While Bettis is best known for his prowess on the football field, he has also been pretty handy with a bowling ball, as it was a sport he took part in when he was growing up. He continues to dabble in bowling to this day, and is a member of the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame. And yes, Bettis does have a perfect 300 game to his credit.
Yesterday’s event was a fundraiser for the Y’s “Big Hearts/Little Hands” program, which provides kids with an adult mentor to help guide them through life.
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