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While Pat Jepson has been in the bowling business since 1975, her volunteer ethic began before she was ten years old. In those early days, Pat assisted her grandmother, Elizabeth Hamilton, at the Eden United Church near her house in the farming community of Hornby. By sixteen Pat was already teaching Sunday School, first at Eden United Church on Derry Road and, following that, at St. John’s Church in Georgetown.
By this time, as well, Pat had already sampled the bowling business by setting pins after school in Oakville. However, before entering the administrative side of the bowling industry in 1970, Pat’s personal life continued to evolve. Her academic achievements in high school laid the foundation for a successful career as secretary, initially at Avro Aircraft in Malton and finishing in the medical profession in Georgetown. In addition, her 1960 marriage to Kerry Jepson produced three children, Kevin who is still in the bowling business and two daughters, Susan and Shelly.
On the bowling side, Pat joined a daytime ladies league in Georgetown in 1960 and immediately became the statistician. Always an organizer, Pat became more intrigued with the bowling business and, as a single mother in 1970, met Gord Passmore. Gord was President of the Central Ontario Bowlers’ Association and, through Gord’s influence, Pat soon became involved in the organizational aspect of bowling as secretary of the Central Ontario Bowlers’ Association for the 1971-72 bowling season and attended her first bowlers convention in the spring of 1972.
The 1973-74 season saw Pat add the responsibilities of Treasurer and Membership Chairperson of the Central Ontario Bowlers’ Association as well as her first appearance in the Carling O’Keefe Provincial Championship as coach of a very strong Central Ontario Men’s Team. Although not successful in her first attempt at coaching, her sophomore attempt in 1976 at the helm of the Central Men’s team proved to be very rewarding. Under her guidance, the team comprised of Al McKenzie, Jim Nicholson, Frank Boiani, Nino Fatica, Gil Lutes and veteran Gord Hobson walked away with the Provincial Championship and captured a bronze medal in Pat’s first appearance in a National Final in Regina, Saskatchewan.
In 1975, Pat and Gord were able to fulfill a dream and they took over Brampton Bowl from the previous owner, Bert Dyball. Under Pat’s management, the centre became a focal point of the community activity for both the bowlers and also fundraising efforts within the city of Brampton. In the centre, Pat immediately decentralized and formed the Flowertown 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. With her adult bowlers as members, Pat conducted every tournament available and, moreover, assumed every administrative position. Pat became program director for her youth program and built her registration from 150 to nearly 600, the largest Youth Bowling Program in Canada at the time.
To impact the community, Pat created mentally and physically handicapped bowling programs for the City of Brampton Recreation Department, a blind bowlers program, and both an elementary and high school bowling curriculum. She also initiated other community projects, such as the Big Brothers’ “Bowl for Millions” Campaign in Peel Region (which led to her serving on the Peel and Canadian Big Brothers Board of Directors as “Bowl for Millions” Chairperson), a yearly Bowlathon for Multiple Sclerosis, the Kidney Dialysis Association and the Alzheimers Association, in remembrance of her mother, who passed away from this illness in 1985. Overall, her fundraising efforts have exceeded one million dollars.
Provincially, Pat was also becoming a force in the bowling world as well. The Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association recognized Pat as their Executive of the Year in 1978 and the provincial lottery chairperson in both 1979 and 1981. In 1982, Pat was named the Proprietor of the Year of the O5PBA. Two years later, the O5PBA and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of Ontario recognized her as a Builder of the Industry. During this period, the honours kept coming. The Bowling Proprietor’s Association of Canada selected her as Program Director of the Year in both 1983 and 1984.
Through the next decade, Pat continued to lead and even assumed the presidency of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of Ontario from 1987 to 1989. Through her leadership, the BPAO developed an annual bowlathon in support of Muscular Dystrophy and a cheque was presented to Jerry Lewis during his annual Labour Day telethon on national television. Working with Walter Valentan, Pat also initiated the incentive prize program that boosted sales in Ontario’s annual chocolate bar fundraising campaign and, during her tenure, also began the popular annual Bowler of the Year tournament. Ultimately, under a program developed in the nineties by the BPAO, Pat and Brampton Bowl were recognized as the province’s top performing bowling centre in both 1995 and 1996.
Despite this exhaustive schedule, Pat also enjoyed her time on the lanes. While starting her Open career as a coach, Pat also represented Central Ontario fourteen times as a bowler and, in 1984, was a member of the ladies team champions that bowled nationally in Hamilton. In the Master Bowlers Association, Pat averaged 225 in over 400 games on the ladies’ tour and won tournaments in both the teaching division and on the Senior Tour. As recently as this year, Pat bowled on the MBAO Seniors Tour that represented Ontario in Saskatoon.
As well deserved as tonight’s induction is, this honour is by no means the culmination of Pat’s career. Her centre is now the focal bowling point for Actifest, a new seniors program in Brampton. Pat has established a scholarship program through her centre and has a special interest in the annual bowling school conducted by the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. In addition, new O5PBA programs such as the Ultimate Challenge, which benefits the March of Dimes, have been inserted into her busy schedule. In addition, sensing a need for her input, Pat has returned to the Board of Directors of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of Ontario and she will concentrate on increasing senior citizen participation.
Pat’s efforts have been recognized at every level, including local, provincial and national. In Brampton, the city has recognized Pat on several occasions from “Citizen of the Week” to her thirteen years with Special Olympics. Provincially, Pat was recognized in 1986 for her volunteer efforts by the Province of Ontario. On Canada’s 125th anniversary, Pat again received both provincial and national honours with an award from the Department of Multi-Culturalism and Citizenship.
Pat has also stayed close to her children with Susan in Windsor, Shelley in Etobicoke, and Kevin in Ottawa. Susan has two children Cassandra 5, and an avid bowler, Kristi Patricia, who is ten. Understanding Pat’s career, it can be said that more awards are to come and, at this time, that statement certainly applies to this outstanding individual.
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