GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Local bowlers are combining their passion for the sport with giving back.

Coley Hooker has successfully held bowl-a-thons to help cancer patients, including one held in honor of his late wife Johnnie Mae Hooker.

“My wife died with cancer, with breast cancer, and while she was sick, an organization raised funds for her, and I just witnessed the benefits of help from the community and the joy that you have in giving to others,” he said.

This time he’s organizing the Strike Out Hunger Bowl-a-Thon to help raise money for Greensboro Urban Ministry’s food pantry.

“Seeing it at church is what made us want to do something because we couldn’t keep our food pantry stocked at church,” Hooker said.

“Probably the best word would be gratitude. We’re working really hard day in and day out on the work that we’re doing and then for folks to take the initiative and say listen, ‘let us do the work on the event, let us raise the resources, so you can keep doing the work,’ that means the world to us,” Greensboro Urban Ministry CEO Brian Hahne said.

The event is being held at Triad Lanes in Greensboro on Sept. 23 at noon.

It costs $25 per person which includes bowling shoes.