After 50 days of bowling at 50 different bowling clubs across New South Wales, Pambula Beach’s Ricky Holt has been welcomed back to the Sapphire Coast.
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Holt embarked on his ambitious journey on October 8 with the goal of raising money and awareness for both Cystic Fibrosis and Autism research.
These two conditions have greatly affected Holt’s family. His youngest brother has three children. The eldest boy Wilson has Autism, the baby girl Teilyn has Cystic Fibrosis and Cullen the second boy lives with both Cystic Fibrosis and Autism.
“As you can imagine life for these guys can be very difficult with many hospital visits, special schools and constant medications to cater for their needs,” Holt said. “Raising money for Cystic Fibrosis and Autism, is my little way of helping families with their struggle to have a happy life.”
Throughout his journey Holt visited bowling clubs all over the state including Tweed Heads, Sydney, Dubbo, Canberra and finished in Albury.
He said one place that blew him away was the small town of Ungarie, whose population of only 300 raised $1200.
While the final count is yet to be complete, Holt said he believes he will have raised a total of around $80,000.
Holt’s 50 for 50 bowls - which came to a climatic end with a huge fundraising dinner in Albury on November 26 – has earned Holt a spot in the Australia Record Books with the record for “Fifty Consecutive Games of Lawn Bowls over a Fifty Day Period”. But this record doesn’t mean a whole lot to Holt.
“Getting the Australian Record didn’t worry me, it was all about raising money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis and Autism and promoting bowls,” he said.
The tour included matches against some of the best bowlers in Australia, but the highlight for Holt had to be a win over world number one Jeremy Henry.
Holt pipped the international star by a single shot in a great match.
“He may not have put in his best effort but it’s a win all the same,” he said with a laugh.
The celebrate Holt’s return home, the Merimbula bowling club got together for one last event on Sunday, December 4, to add another $3,000 to Holt’s huge fundraising effort.
Holt said the support from his home club had been inspiring with Merimbula bowlers helping to raise more than $6000.
He said it had been a great adventure, but he was glad to be home and sleeping in his own bed, instead of the back of his van.
Holt thanked everyone who donated and helped him on his journey.
Holt has completed his tour, but you can still donate to the cause or find out more information at the website www.50for50bowls.com.
