Drawing visitors Jefferson is the goal of many people. John and Vickie Woodford, owners of Spare Time Lanes, have been doing that for nearly two decades. This month, just as they have the past 13 Octobers, they’re hosting out-of-town bowlers every weekend. They have as many as 60 bowlers coming for the four week Iowa State USBC Women’s Bowling Association’s 600 Bowling Club’s doubles and singles tournament.
“It’s a lot of fun. We’ve gotten to know some of the people pretty well over the years. We always look forward to having them here,” Vickie Woodford said.
Women come from Dubuque, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Webster City, Ames, and smaller towns like Stuart and Manchester. They bowl Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Several stay at the Super 8 in Jefferson. Some drive to Boone for the night. “It’s great we’ve got the casino coming with a bigger hotel. All our bowlers will be able to stay there,” Woodford said.
The women come to have fun and they bring money with them. According to Woodford, bowlers make their way to the craft department at Ben Franklin, to the Stitch, to The Printer’s Box, and to Deal’s Orchard. “We try to work with businesses to let them show our bowlers what they have to offer,” Woodford said, adding that area businesses are welcome to drop off promotional items or information at the bowling center.
Shannon McHugh of Jefferson is secretary/treasurer of the Iowa 600 Bowling Club, and she selects the bowling center for the tournament. “Everybody loves Spare Time Lanes. They love the people. They love the atmosphere. They have a great time. I wouldn’t think of having it anywhere else,” McHugh said.
She credits John and Vickie Woodford for great hospitality. “They bend over backwards to make sure the lanes are everything you’d want and that people have a good time. They’re easy to work with and open to just about anything,” McHugh said.
McHugh also talked about bowlers, and their friends, enjoying other aspects of the community. McHugh told of Fort Dodge bowlers coming to Jefferson in a RAGBRAI bus. The driver of the bus had brought her bicycle, and while the bowlers were at SpareTime Lanes, she was riding on the bike trail.
The October tournament is just one of several that brings bowlers to Jefferson. Spare Time Lanes has hosted the West Central Iowa Bowling Proprietors tournament in March for the past 16 years. Bowlers come from Stuart, Carroll, Denison, Adel, Wall Lake and Manning. The Woodfords also host a family doubles qualifying tournament that leads to national play and big cash prizes.
Spare Time Lanes has hosted the Elks state bowling tournament twice and will have it again in 2016. The Woodfords bid on every tournament available to smaller lanes. They’re hoping to have the state senior women’s tournament in 2017.
Spare Time Lanes hosts local leagues as well, and is available for open bowling. Call the bowling center at 515-386-9119 for times.
