By KATH GANNAWAY
CHRIS Thomas is on a mission to bowl over prostate cancer.
The Cobram bowler, who was introduced to the sport by his late father, Wyneham Thomas, took on the president of Healesville Bowling Club, Troy Pye, last week as part of his Guinness Book of Records attempt to play at 800 lawn bowling clubs around Australia.
He set out in July playing in the Tweed Heads Bowling Club’s Tweed Prestige Mixed Singles and has played in clubs, north, south, east and west, over the past eight months.
His Yarra Valley itinerary included Warburton, Yarra Glen and Lilydale with Ferntree Gully Bowling Club also on the list.
The record for the most number of bowls clubs played by an individual in a year is 620.
“I’ll probably pass that in a month and have another three months to go,” Chris said.
The aim is to raise $50,000 as part of the Cancer Council’s ‘I Will For Cancer” fund-raising campaign.
Chris said his father was 89 when he passed away just before Christmas, 2013, from an aggressive prostate cancer. He has opted to put the money raised into research into prostate cancer and breast cancer.
Apart from donations, Chris is selling polo shirts, generously subsidised by his sponsor, Fashion Club Wear, and has raised $27,500 to date.
He is also sponsored by Australian Men’s Sheds Association and is promoting the great work they do. With over 1000 Men’s Sheds around the country – including in Healesville (Badger Creek), Warburton and Yarra Glen, the message is well received.
Not surprisingly, playing between 20 and 25 matches a week, he has notched up a 75 per cent success rate on greens.
The criteria for making a submission to the Guinness Book of Records is that he must play 10 ends against a club member and the game must be witnessed and signed off by two other people.
Chris said he had received a great welcome wherever he had played, and, no doubt would receive a huge welcome home when he plays the final game at his home club at Cobram.
Visit Chris’s Facebook page Chris Thomas Will For Cancer, for more information on his record attempt, and to sponsor via the link http://vic.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/ChrisThomas.
Just for the record, Chris won.
