OAK HILL, WV (WVNS) — Members of the local Marshall alumni chapter went bowling in their spare time on Sunday, March 26, 2023.

For years, holding a bowling event has been right up the alley of the Southern Coalfields chapter of the Marshall Alumni Association.

This year marked the 6th time the chapter has held its Thunder in the Alley event at Pinheads in Oak Hill. Proceeds from the event and its silent auction help to fund academic and athletic scholarships awarded to incoming Marshall freshmen who live in each of the five counties the chapter covers. The Southern Coalfields chapter represents Fayette, Raleigh, McDowell, Wyoming and Mingo counties.

New this year were special auction items donated by the university, like signed Thundering Herd sports equipment, sideline passes to this fall’s home football game against Virginia Tech or another home game of the winner’s choice. Chapter President Tim Cyrus said the event is a great way to bring alumni together.

“There’s a lot of Marshall graduates so we’re just trying to serve the area and we really want to try and work on growing the university so that’s part of having these types of things,” said Cyrus. “This sixth annual bowling has grown every single year.”

Cyrus said any events hosted by the chapter are open to everyone, not just fans or alumni of Marshall.

“I hope you would come and want just to support people in the area,” said Cyrus. “We fund scholarships and I’m very passionate about that as is the whole group. We have a great group of people that pitch in.”