NORWICH – Finding a way to dispose of used bowling pins is never an easy task for Plaza Lanes Manager Mark Ewen. Other than the odd birthday souvenir, he says the old battered pins usually end up cluttering the workspace behind the lanes. So, when Heading Due North Owner Dave Francis offered to take 200 off his hands to use as target practice, Ewen jumped at the chance.

The day after Francis and his son Adam picked up the pins, Ewen received a call from the gun store owner. The bowling center manager said he was worried that Francis had changed his mind, but what he heard next touched his heart.

Francis’ idea was to sell the pins for $2 each and donate the proceeds to the local Toys for Tots campaign.

“One man’s junk will be turned into a child’s toy, by two caring members of this community,” Ewen said, referring to Francis and his wife Maureen.

The used bowling pins are already proving popular with the shooting enthusiasts who frequent Heading Due North – a popularity which the gun shop owners credit to the composition of the pins.