EAST ALTON/WOOD RIVER – The East Alton-Wood River High School bowling team has created a great partnership with the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation.
On March 14, 2026, the foundation will host their annual trivia night fundraiser in Collinsville. Students from the bowling team will be there to help out. In return, the organization has become one of their top sponsors. Assistant Coach Gary Quigley couldn’t be more proud of his team and the relationships they’re building in the community.
“We’ve got a good group of kids,” Quigley said. “In order to be a successful coach, you’ve got to have an impact on your kids’ lives. I talk to my kids daily. I have meetings with them. I try to have that great communication with my players. And honestly, you’ve got to have that relationship with your kids to be successful. But once Linsey Timmins stepped in, she did a lot and we did a lot for her.”
Linsey founded the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation after her husband, Police Officer Tyler Timmins, was killed in the line of duty. The organization does a lot to support students and first responders across the region.
Quigley said Linsey reached out to him and provided “a nice, generous donation” that allowed the EAWR team to buy bowling balls and additional equipment. For players like senior Ethan Barrett, having his own ball made a big difference. His game has improved from an average 130 score to his high of 244 earlier this year.
But the bowling team hasn’t just impacted Barrett’s score. It has also made a big impression on who he is as a person.
“Bowling has been a key point in my life. It’s just been amazing,” he said. “Quigley drove it into my brain that I need to get better. He gave me the new ball, gave me the shoes, and I just went off…They treated me as a friend and that helped me to get better.”
Kaylee Halleman, another senior bowler, echoed this sentiment. She expressed her appreciation for the entire team, who welcomed her with open arms.
“I’ve just found a great community in it,” she said. “All of us come out for the common goal to bowl, to have fun. All the girls on the team were really supportive of me coming in as a first-time bowler. I’ve never really thought of it competitively. I’ve just had fun, honestly. The team really just welcomed me in. I’ve never had that experience from another team. I feel like bowling is just so close-knit. It’s easy to fall into place with it.”
Quigley agrees that bowling is fun, but he “like[s] to win,” so being able to grow the team has been a great experience for him. He is thankful to sponsors like the school board and the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation for allowing him and his team to take their game to the next level.
He added that the bowlers have since made it a priority to volunteer with the foundation by wrapping gifts for children during the organization’s holiday gift drive and helping out at their upcoming trivia night. They plan to hold a bowling fundraiser for the foundation soon.
The “life-changing” donation from Linsey and her organization has made a big difference for the EAWR team, and they hope to pay it forward. Quigley is proud of his team and eager to continue their work toward another successful season.
“We’re trying to get out there and get kids involved in bowling and help out where we can,” he added. “We want to put bowling on the map at the high school. That’s something I’m willing to take charge of and get it done.”
For more information about the Tyler Timmins Memorial Foundation, including how to donate or how to participate in their upcoming trivia night, visit their official website.
