Bowl-a-thon to help Grinmanis family

ALTAMONT — Friends of Michael Grinmanis, the Altamont teen killed in a car crash on Dec. 19, are rallying to help his family.

Guilderland Center resident Kelly Gardner, who, as a real estate agent worked with Michael Grinmanis Sr., said the 19-year-old had many friends who miss him, and want to reunite in his memory and help his family at the same time. Gardner’s daughter was also one of Grinmanis Jr.’s friends.

Shortly after Grinmanis Jr. died in December, his father told The Enterprise that, “he was a good boy who liked to help others.” He said his son had supported friends through tough times, always able to console and help others see the positive side. (For the full story, go online to www.altamontenterprise.com, under Guilderland archives, for Dec. 19, 2009.)

The accident and death put parents Michael and Maxine Grinmanis “into really hard times,” said Gardner. She said the community wants to reach out and show how much they care.

A bowl-a-thon will be held at Town’ N Country Lanes in Guilderland on Feb. 24 from 9 to 11 p.m. The cost is $10 per person, and will include shoes, and unlimited bowling for two hours. There will be raffles, with prizes donated by local businesses.

In addition to money raised at the bowl-a-thon, Gardner said Penny Martinsen, the mother of one of Grinmanis Jr.’s close friends, went to local businesses and collected “ a slew of donations.” All the proceeds will go to the Grinmanis family.