The AWBA membership is made up of young, old and everything in between.  We are simply a snapshot of America with the exception that when bowling, we do it from a wheelchair.  Here are just a few of examples of our makeup:

• 60% of our membership are United States military veterans

• We are made up of both men and women

• All volunteer organization-no paid staff

• Our disabilities are varied, some are:
• Paraplegics
• Quadriplegics
• Amputees
• Spinabifida
• Ms
• Polio
• Stroke victims

• Ages from mid 20’s to mid 70’s

• $15.00 annual donation that brings thousands of dollars of help with your game and friends forever.

We are a membership of amateurs, separated by our bowling handicap for competition purposes, brought together by our competitive spirit and camaraderie of our members.

If you need to be in a wheelchair to bowl, you will fit right in!!!!!

We Want YOU!

AWBA CHARTER MEMBERS

Organized in 1962 with 33 Charter Members

 Richard F. Carlson, Founder

Richard Alspach John Banks George Bertram Norbert Blake Ray Bowser Joe Brown Joe Ciccone Doyce Etheridge

Paul Fisher  Wally Gordon  Everett Hackman Forrest Hays Jack Hogue      Monroe Jackson    Doug Keaton Andrew Kellerman

Al Lehman Bud Lebarsky Jack McFerron Bob Montague Dean Naden   George Nye Mike O’Donnell Paul O’Hora

Leon Pierce Henry Rice Ron Ritcherson Ken Seaquist Larry Seymour Angelo Stark Robert Smith Nelson Welker

AWBA Hall OF Fame

In 1974, the American Wheelchair Bowling Association established the AWBA Hall of Fame.  This prestigious honor is given to those individuals who have exhibited their love and support of wheelchair bowling along with their individual achievements and long service, dedication, and promotion at a local and national level of the sport itself.  The individuals that have been inducted in the AWBA’s Hall of Fame are as follows:

Richard Carlson (Posthumously)	1974	James “Sonny” Steward	1987
Douglas Keaton	1976	Donald Bunn	1988
Paul O’Hora	1976	Leroy Mitchell	1990
Kenneth Seaquist	1976	Van Schneider	1990
Norbert Blake	1977	James “Sully” Sullivan	1991
Wally Gordon	1977	Larry Seymour	1992
Stuart Kah	1977	Bob Murdock	1994
William Roberts	1978	George Snyder	1994
Clyde “Buddy” Cole (Posthumously)	1979	Dave Roberts	1995
Donald Pinault	1980	Walt Roy	1998
Richard Schumacher	1980	Paul “Triple Quad” Cook	1999
Gene Ramus	1982	Wayne Webber	2003
James “Woody” Woodruff	1982	William H. Boyd	2007
Daryl Pfister	1983	Donald Bruns	2008
Nelson Welker (Posthumously)	1983	Roger Templar	2009
Al Uttecht	1985	Don Popora	2009
Mike Schneider	1986	Jerry Mills, Martin Frost	2010

                                                         
Symbolic of a member passing, however, each is remembered in the hearts of their families and friends. Should you have information that would help keep the record updated, please inform the association regarding those individuals.  Thank you.

Honorary Life Members

Over the years, the AWBA Board of Directors has granted Honorary Life Memberships to individuals who, in the opinion of the Board have made outstanding contributions of time, effort or other unselfish support on behalf of this association.  Accordingly, we hereby recognize those individuals.

Hill Carlson Guy Wilson Francis O’Hora  Edie Keaton Janet Harvey

Linda Mills Helena Roy Linda Schneider Jim Smith

Janet Kendall Bonnie Pfister Ray Korchak Gene Moore

AWBA EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOSEPH L. FOX, Sr. CHAIRMAN

Joe served from 1968-69 in the USMC serving in Vietnam where he received his injury.  He was discharged in 1970 at the rank of Sgt. Joe has been paralyzed and in a wheelchair almost 40 years. Joe and his wife Hilda live in California. He joined the Paralyzed Veterans of America in 1980, the California Paralyzed Veterans Chapter 1981 and served as Board member/chapter Secretary/Vice President/PVA National Director and President until 1990. He was elected to PVA National Executive Committee in 1990 as Vice President for 4 Years and served as PVA Senior Vice President for 4 years and served as PVA President for 4 years.  He is now serving as the Immediate Past President for past 5 years. And Joe did not stop there.  Now he is serving as President of the PVA/Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund. He started bowling in 1985 left bowling in 1988 until 2005 and then got the passion back and rejoined AWBA.

Wayne Webber VICE CHAIRPERSON

My name is Wayne Webber I'm a C-7 / C-6 injury quad and an A Division bowler, starting in the B Division, carrying a 140 average  with a handle ball when I first started, my high game was 241 scratch. Then moved the a conventional grip ball, and then challenged myself to go finger tip raising my average 20 pins, high game 256 high series 656. In 1989 got into a pro-shop and was taught to drill balls. With-in nine months I kicked the guy that brought me in out of his shop and took over, very successfully too. I then moved to Florida from Massachusetts in 1992, still drill my owe equipment in my garage. I've been on the AWBA Board for over twenty years, Vice Chairman for one year, Chairman for nine years. I have helped in putting on a number of tournaments, and put on three National assisting in one of them. I am very passionate about this organization and its future. I 'm happy to serve as your new Vice Chairman for this next year.

Paul Kenny TREASURER

Paul Kenney is a US Army veteran (1972-76).  A California native, he currently lives in Hollis, New Hampshire with his wife, Deborah Jelley.  Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1986, Paul has been using a wheelchair for 20 years.  He began bowling in 2005 and has been attending AWBA tournaments since 2006.  He has been a winner in two National Team events and the "A" division champion at the 2010 Cal/Diego Golden State Open.  Paul was appointed to the AWBA board in 2009, and elected Treasurer in 2011.

Peggy Smith SECRETARY

Peggy started her wheelchair bowling career in 2009.  She comes from a family of Veterans and is married to a Desert Storm Veteran. She and her husband William, have been married for 11 years and live in Edmond, OK.  She has participated in wheelchair basketball with her husband for 10 years and is now giving that up for bowling due to shoulder injuries.  She also has injuries to both knees and lower back which started giving her problems at a very young age.  Peggy and her husband won their first doubles competition at the first tournament they attended in Oklahoma in 2009 and she won her first National B Division title in 2010.  She also won the Alma Ladwid award and High Qualifier in B division in 2010 and 2011.  At the 50th National Tournament she bowled her highest score ever, a 203.  She joined the PVA Green Country Chapter in 2002 and has since transferred to the Mid-America Chapter.  Now she is serving her 5th term as Secretary in the Arkansas Valley Conference for the NWBA.

            AWBA Auxiliary “Outstanding Service Award”

In every organization there are those that are called the backbone of the organization.  The AWBA is no different.  The AWBA Auxiliary, those significant others that range from wives, sons, daughter, husbands, family and friends that support the efforts of the members of the AWBA, take on tasks that the members themselves either cannot perform due to their particular challenge or simply do not have the time or patience for.  Without the Auxiliary, each tournament director would have major challenges in many areas that the Auxiliary handles without a hitch.  They are truly a gracious and non demanding organization.

Fran Pinault  Pat Schneider Ruth Gruber Bonita Mitchell Edie Keaton  Bonnie Pfister Chris Bunn  Sharon Murdock

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1984 1985

Mary Ann Haskell Ann Baker Linda Schneider  Helena Roy   Jane Bruns Debra Frost Bill Birch

1986 1987 1988 1991 2001 2004  2009 2010