As a frequent bowler and one of our friends, we appreciate that you have made league bowling and Olympic a part of your lives. And we feel it is our obligation to keep you informed about things that would significantly change your league bowling experience.

There are always laws and regulations that change or affect how we run Olympic, and it is extremely rare that we share our thoughts on those new laws. However, there is a growing movement that we feel is important enough to share with you – one that would eliminate the possibility of having a beer, a glass of wine or a mixed drink while bowling, going out for dinner, or spending time with friends.

Over the past 20 years, America has waged a war against drunk driving. These efforts have paid off: Drunk driving fatalities have plummeted, and in 2005 alcohol contributed to only 7 percent of all traffic accidents.

Due to the success of campaigns aimed at drunk driving, responsible citizens have responded. Today, fatal crashes are rarely caused by casual social drinkers, but by hardcore alcoholics. In fact, national statistics indicated that a blood alcohol content of 0.17 (more than twice the legal limit) is the most frequently recorded level among drinking drivers involved in fatal crashes.

Despite these successes, many advocates believe that the current laws do not go far enough. Rather than focus on those offenders who drive with high blood alcohol content or who repeatedly drive drunk even after being convicted, they believe all drinking before driving should be illegal.

These anti-alcohol advocates think one drink is one drink too many before getting behind the wheel. And they have turned to technology as a way of achieving their goal.

The technology goes by a few names: ignition interlocks, alcohol interlock, in-car breathalyzers. But they all work as in-car Alcohol Detection Devices (ADDs). An ADD will prevent an engine from starting if the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is over a pre-set threshold.

The technology isn’t new; it was created in the late 1980s for the cars of criminals who repeatedly drove with high BAC levels. But in recent years, anti-alcohol groups have put together a strategy of expanding the use of this technology. They want to gradually make ADDs so commonplace that each car will come equipped with such a device.

Currently, ADDs are able to detect alcohol at levels as low as 0.02 blood alcohol concentration, and the technology is constantly improving. If they become mandatory equipment in all cars, they will be set far below the legal limit of 0.08 —most likely at 0.03-0.04. At those low levels, drinking even one beer before driving could trigger the device for many people.

The strategy of the anti-alcohol advocates who are pushing for an increased use of ADDs centers on changing the public’s opinion.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is working closely with government traffic safety agencies and is leading the charge to promote the universal acceptance of ADDs. MADD’s “Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving” follows the same template successfully applied by the first prohibition movement way back in the 1920s. Today’s strategy includes (1) swaying public opinion with weak research and (2) expanding the use of ADDs state-by-state. Since 2005, more than a dozen states have expanded their laws involving ADDs.

Those of us in the hospitality industry have worked with law enforcement to protect against dangerous drunk drivers. We’ve supported designated driver and safe ride programs and encouraged laws targeted at high BAC and repeat offenders. But these efforts are different. They target our regular customers and the 176 million Americans who drink responsibly before driving.

Olympic is working with our national association and other bowling center owners to push back against universal ADDs and zero tolerance efforts. But it is important to us that our friends and customers also know about the campaign that is underway to criminalize all social drinking. We encourage you to find out more about this debate by going to www.InterlockFacts.com.

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Call 414-902-4523 to find out how you can receive discounted Brewer tickets for the August 10th game.
Brewers vs. Diamondbacks
7:10pm
Miller Park

Click on the links below to view the full fyler and order form.

Bowling Night-Flyer

Bowling Night-Order Form

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BOWLING HALL OF FAME:  FROM BIEBER TO BRIDGES, STAR-STUDDED LINE-UP OF CELEBS NOMINATED FOR 2011 INDUCTION

Go to www.gobowling.com to cast your vote for the next Celebrity Inductee into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame

From Hollywood “A”-listers and the stars of the silver screen to pro athletes and celebrities who like to bowl for fun, the revitalization of bowling is evident across all sectors of pop culture.  To pay tribute to celebrities and notable individuals who help contribute to the enduring popularity of bowling, the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) announced its 2010 class of nine nominees for consideration into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.

Nominees include Hollywood megastars Bill Murray (Kingpin), Jeff Bridges (Big Lebowski) and Paris Hilton, pop music artists and bowling aficionados Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, NBA athletes and recreational bowlers Chris Paul and Dwight Howard and TV personalities Jimmy Fallon and Kim Kardashian (see below for complete list of nominees with bowling-themed biographical information).

For the first time in bowling history, the industry is opening up the Hall of Fame celebrity induction process to a public vote.  Beginning on July 12, consumers will be empowered to vote online at www.gobowling.com for the candidate who they would most like to see forever enshrined in bowling history.   The voting process will occur throughout July with the one celebrity, the leading vote-getter, being inducted into the Celebrity Hall of Fame.   The final votes will be tallied on World Record Day, August 7^th, a day on which more than 3,000 centers across the United States will join forces to try to set a new world record for the most bowling games played in a 24 hour period.

“Recognizing that the popularity of bowling lay in the hands of the nearly 70 million people who bowl annually, we’ve decided to give the power to the people,” said Steve Johnson, Executive Director of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA).  “We’ve assembled a line-up of celebrity nominees who have helped to make bowling the nation’s number one participatory sport, from promoting our great sport in entertainment pop culture to simply showing their love for the sport.”

As an added incentive to urge you to cast a vote for your favorite star, Bardon Bowling Centers will be offering a free game of bowling to everyone who casts a vote.  Go to www.gobowling.com, to cast your vote and download a coupon for a free game of bowling on World Record Day.

By offering a free game of bowling to our guests we are showing our gratitude to you and the celebrities who embrace and promote our sport. This year’s Celebrity Hall of Fame campaign will demonstrate both the tremendous popularity of bowling and the incredible solidarity that exists within our industry.”

No matter how the vote goes, we know that we’re going to have a tremendous addition to our Celebrity Hall of Fame.  From Hollywood stars and starlets to professional athletes and celebrity notables, each of the candidates has had a significant impact in helping to keep bowling as one of the nation’s most treasured past times.

Below is the complete list of the celebrity nominees:

Justin Bieber – Teenage heart throb Justin Bieber demonstrated his love of bowling in the music video for his smash hit single “Baby,” that has garnered nearly 232 million views on YouTube.  Beiber also hosted a bowling-themed release party in New York City for his album “My World 2.0,” where he defeated R&B star and New York radio personality Nick Cannon in a bowling showdown.

Bill Murray – Comic genius Bill Murray starred as the memorable Ernie McCracken in the 1996 comedy “King Pin.”  Since his role as the flamboyant McCracken, Murray has been a bowling icon with the popularity of his character living on through millions of Internet views.

Jeff Bridges – Oscar award winning actor Jeff Bridges starred as “The Dude” in the 1998 critically acclaimed bowling film “The Big Lebowski.”  In Bridges’ role he reinvented “cool” and the movie has since become a cult classic.

Jimmy Fallon – The former Saturday Night Live star turned late night talk show host regularly conducts zany segments with celebrity guests including Grapefruit Bowling with Jennifer Anniston, Drew Barrymore’s bowling ball lick and a perennial show favorite – Human Bowling.

Taylor Swift – Since country music star Taylor Swift’s rise to fame, she has been frequently spotted and photographed hitting the lanes with celebrity friends like Selena Gomez and Cory Monteith.

Chris Paul – NBA all-star point guard Chris Paul is an avid bowler who has served as an advocate and youth ambassador for the United States Bowling Congress.  Paul, who dubs bowling his “second favorite sport” regularly runs a celebrity invitational pro-am bowling tournament on the PBA tour that pairs celebrities with professional bowlers.

Dwight Howard – A true bowling aficionado, NBA all-star center Dwight Howard frequently hosts charity bowling tournaments in Orlando and has been honored in the pages of U.S. Bowler Magazine for his support of the sport.

Kim Kardashian – Photographs of reality star Kim Kardashian at bowling centers and charity bowling events have graced the covers of celebrity magazines and tabloids nationwide.  Kardashian also showed her skills on the lanes with sister Khloe on her hit reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

Pauley Perrette – Perrette is best known for her portrayal as the lovable and upbeat gothic forensic scientist Abbey Sciuto who regularly enjoys bowling with nuns in the hit CBS series NCIS.

For more information on the Hall of Fame induction process or to cast a vote for today, visit www.gobowling.com.

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