By Janelle Ericsson

ORCHARD MESA, Colo., — The owner at Orchard Mesa Lanes has been opening up his business for the “Bowl With A Cop” day for nearly 15 years.

“I have kids, my kids grew up here and I think it’s a good town to grow up in, and if i can help that’s great,” owner Eric Loeb said.

It’s an event where kids bowl for free while spending time with our boys in blue.

“I think it’s a good thing for the kids to meet police in a little different setting where it’s not imposing to them or anything like that,” Loeb said. “They have fun, the police have fun and it’s just something I like to do.”

And spending time with kids is also something the cops enjoy.

“It’s good for the kids to get to talk to officers and talk to somebody in uniform and realize that we’re people, we’re human beings and that we’re approachable we can be friendly and have fun too,” Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Carnes said.

After all, the whole event is about kids making a positive relationship with the cops, and bowling seems to break the ice.

“It seems like they’re having a good time, they’re having a lot of fun,” Carnes said. “We have one kid I he’s about 12 years old and he’s out bowling everybody so he’s teaching the cops how to bowl.”

“I don’t know I haven’t really heard anything maybe they’re just watching me trying to,” bowler Alex Williamson said.

But would he say he’s better than some of the cops?

“Some of them yeah, the other ones I’d imagine come down and practice,” Williamson said.

“Well I practice,” seven year old bowler Taylor said. “I practice bowling on the Wii and it’s my first time being in a real life bowling alley.”

Year after year, kids and police continue to show up. And Loeb says that is why he has no plans of stopping the event anytime soon.

“Well because the kids turn out and the police turn out so it pretty well takes care of itself,” he said. “We see these kids when they’re 5 years old and we see these kids when they’re 15 years old so we like to see them here instead of out on the streets.”

There will be an additional “Bowl With A Cop” day Thursday. It will be free for kids from 10 AM to 2 PM at Orchard Mesa Lanes Off 27 Road.

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Joe Mauer is healthy and anxious to start a new season next spring.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS caught up with the Twins star catcher at his charity bowling fundraiser in Little Canada on Saturday afternoon.

Mauer has taken the time over the last two days to speak with reporters with hopes of dispelling rumors about serious health concerns, and reiterated Saturday that he is perfectly healthy.

Mauer only played 82 games in the 2011 season due to various ailments. Some speculation arose Mauer might be dealing with serious illnesses. Mauer denies the rumors have any validity.

The former All-Star and American League Most Valuable Player says once he was able to recover from a bout with pneumonia that ailed him at the end of the 2011 season, his offseason focus turned to getting answers how he can better ensure he remains healthy. He says he’s happy with the information he’s obtained and intends to use what he’s learned to be ready to hit the diamond at Spring Training in February.

Mauer was the featured guest at Saturday’s charity bowling event which is the primary fundaiser for the Highland Friendship Club. Mauer has been involved with the charity since a family friend founded it a decade ago.

Joining Mauer at the event were: fellow MLB players – and U of M alumni – Jack Hannahan and John Gaub, a large number of players on the current Minnesota Gopher baseball team, former Twins Paul Molitor and Greg Olson, US National Soccer Team alumnus Tony Sanneh, Twin Cities musician Tim Mahoney, former New York Giant Marcus Freeman and members of the Twin Cities radio and television community – including 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS’ own Dave Dahl and Naomi Pescovitz.

The Club estimates it will make over $25,000 at the event, which funds its’ efforts to provide social interaction opportunities and life-skill building events for disabled children and young adults.

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