ALTON - A few community members are coming together to make a difference, and you can help.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Becca Mesey and her team will host their fifth annual Back the Backstoppers fundraiser on Sept. 12, 2026, at Bowl Haven in Alton. Attendees can bowl in a nine-pin tournament and enjoy a craft fair while supporting local first responders. Businesses and organizations are also encouraged to sponsor or donate toward the event.
“For me personally, I just want the first responders to know that they’re not out there fighting alone,” Mesey said. “They have people to support them, and they have a community around them. That’s why I do it every year.”
The craft and vendor fair runs from 4:30–8:30 p.m. in the Bowl Haven parking lot. Vendors can pay $30 to secure their spot and must provide their own canopy tent and table. It’s free to shop the vendors and Mesey promises plenty of handmade goods.
Bowling check-in starts at 6 p.m. and the nine-pin tournament begins at 6:30 p.m. Participants can enjoy three games of bowling, a strike pot, and more fun for $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
You are invited to simply shop or join in the tournament if you’d like. Mesey and her friends are avid bowlers and they thought this would be a “fun” addition to the event, but they emphasized that there’s no pressure to participate in the tournament.
Mesey started the Back the Backstoppers event with her loved ones, including husband Eddie, after they lost a few first responder friends. Her “girlfriends” — Brooke Harms, Melissa Mullins and Ashley Brown — quickly decided to join her, and the full team began working together to support local first responders.
Last year, they raised over $3,000 for the Backstoppers. Mesey believes that “every little bit helps,” and she hopes the fundraiser can do even more good this year.
Bill Metzhammer with Bowl Haven explained that the bowling alley is happy to be the venue for the fundraiser. It’s important to his team, as well, to support first responders.
“We’re a big part of the community,” he said. “We’ve been here since 1958. We always try to give a little bit back for those kinds of folks that mean a lot to the community.”
There will also be a silent auction and several raffle baskets. Local businesses and organizations are invited to donate items for the auction and raffles, or become a sponsor to further support the group’s work. Sponsorship options range from $30 to $100 and all proceeds go to the Backstoppers.
Cranes Club House will provide DJ entertainment. The event is open to families and bowlers of all ages, and Mesey and her friends promise it will be a lot of fun.
“The Backstoppers help the families of the fallen, so we try to help raise as much as we can to put into that to help,” the group added. “We just want [the community’s] support.”
For more information about the Back the Backstoppers event, or to sign up as a vendor or sponsor, contact Mesey directly at 618-540-9752.
More like this:
