With less than one week since the start of Levittown Lanes' and Westbury Bowl's Summer Bowling Bonanza program, in which registered children may bowl one free game and receive one free shoe rental every day of the summer vacation, nearly 500 school-age area youngsters have already registered for the program.

This year, Barry Caputo's M&M Printing - a full service Carle Place-based printer serving both community and business customers with equal professionalism - helped underwrite the program. 2002 marks the fourth consecutive summer of free bowling provided by North and South Levittown Lanes and Westbury Bowl.

The idea of offering free bowling to local children was hatched by Frank Mormando, proprietor of the bowling centers, and John Hoffman, then the Police Athletic League (PAL) director of Levittown. Both Mormando and Hoffman, friends for many years, wanted to offer our children a healthy alternative to "hanging out" over the sometimes long and uneventful summer vacation season. Out of this desire came the Free Game of Bowling each day of the summer season idea, and the "Summer Bowling Bonanza" program.

Children may register at either of three bowling centers to participate. Bonanza Cards were distributed in school the week of June 10 in the Levittown, Island Trees, Westbury and East Meadow school districts. If you did not receive a "Bonanza Card" or live outside these districts, you may pick up a card at the center nearest you and register at the same time.