New bowling alley open at Montana School for the Deaf and Blind
Story by Nonstop Local ABC/Fox Montana
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB) in March unveiled its revamped bowling alley, offering a new recreational space for students.
Marissa, a freshman at the school, emphasized the excitement surrounding the new facility.
“The important thing is students really enjoy having a bowling alley,” she said.
The construction of this bowling alley is part of a broader initiative to create lasting activities for the students. Paul Furthmyre, Superintendent of MSDB, highlighted this focus.
“One thing we focus on here at MSDB is developing activities for our students that can go well beyond the future of the school. So bowling is one of those activities that we feel our students can have access to for a lifetime,” he said.
The new bowling alley symbolizes inclusivity and community for visually impaired and deaf students. Marissa expressed the importance of this facility for deaf students. “So hearing people have the things that they can do, but deaf people think that hearing people are not making it fair for the deaf people. So we’re trying to make it even so that they can be equal,” she said.
Troy Bennett, another freshman, sees the new facility as an opportunity to pursue his professional bowling dreams. “As far as I can go, I’d like to go to the pros. The pros seem fun and mainly bowling is just having fun. And I would like to go to the pros,” he said.
Furthmyre addressed any skepticism regarding the capabilities of visually impaired or deaf students in activities like bowling.
“I would actually challenge them and say, okay, how soon do we want the kid to be doing this? Because the kids on this campus and the kids in our outreach programs around the state, they just need some help to figure out how to make it fair and how to do the same thing that their colleagues do,” he said.
The project has received significant support from Malmstrom Air Force Base, which has helped with removing old equipment and saving costs for the school.
“They’ve been key with this project since the beginning, coming in here, helping us with designs and making decisions. Their electricians have even done a little bit of work with us on going to some different phases of electrical phases needed,” said Furthmyre.
Troy is eagerly anticipating the opening of the bowling alley and is confident in his abilities.
“Anything I set my mind to, I can do… When we get this bowling alley finished, I’m going to come out here, make a statement, and make a strike first ball,” he said.
MSDB’s gym was built in 1983, and the bowling alley was loved by students and their families. With aging equipment and lack of state funds to replace the lanes, they have not been able to enjoy the bowling alley for well over a decade.