NW Illinois News

Ted Dabrowski, a candidate for governor in Illinois, expressed his appreciation for the city of Rockford and the organization Brightening Veterans Lives (BVL) during the Bowl for Veterans event at Don Carter Lanes. He also extended his gratitude to the event organizers.

"Rockford and Brightening Veterans Lives (BVL) are certainly doing their part in providing for our nation's veterans," said Dabrowski, Gubernatorial candidate. "It was a fantastic night, but I'm definitely going to have to work on my bowling skills. Thanks to John and Nancy Sommer for making Bowl for Veterans possible."

Don Carter Lanes frequently hosts fundraising events like Bowl for Veterans, which support BVL. This nonprofit is dedicated to providing recreation therapy for veterans. The venue's promotional materials emphasize BVL's local contributions, such as offering transportation assistance to veterans in the Rockford area who need access to Veterans Affairs (VA) care.

Bowlers to Veterans Link, commonly referred to as Brightening Veterans Lives, is recognized as bowling’s longest-running charity. Since its inception in 1942, it has raised over $57 million and continues to generate more than $1 million annually. These funds are used to support recreation therapy programs for veterans at VA hospitals and state homes across the country.

Dabrowski has accumulated over 30 years of experience in international finance and domestic policy leadership. His career includes 16 years in senior financial positions, notably serving as Head of Corporate Banking at Citibank in Poland. In this role, he advised on economic liberalization efforts and managed substantial Treasury portfolios in both Poland and Mexico. Upon returning to the United States, Dabrowski became Vice President of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute before leading Wirepoints as President—a nonprofit organization focused on Illinois’ economy and government issues. His research has been featured by national media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal. Dabrowski holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, an MBA from the Wharton School, and a bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech.