By Jeffrey J. Marmorstone, Tribune photographer

Three times a week area seniors arrive at Holiday Lanes in quest of the elusive turkey. Today, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., they will have a chance to take one of three real gobblers home. It’s not because the wild feathered friends are seeking refuge during Minnesota’s hunting season, but because the Senior Bowling Program is having its Turkey Shoot.

The hard work of Don Twito is what makes the Turkey Shoot possible. And on a day like today, it would be safe to call him &uot;the ‘Don’ of turkeys.&uot; But he isn’t the only one who makes the Senior Bowling program so successful. His wife, Bev,

helps him quite a bit, he said, adding he also gets help from his presidents and vice presidents and Nelson’s Foods supplies the &uot;real&uot; turkeys.

&uot;Nelson’s has been real good to the senior bowling program,&uot; Twito said.

On normal league days, which are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, seniors always have a chance to roll a turkey or two. And when they do, their fellow bowlers unleash the hugs.

&uot;People from the other end of the alley come down to give hugs to someone who gets a turkey,&uot; he said.

Twito boasts that the Albert Lea’s Senior Bowling Program may be Minnesota’s largest senior league.

The size of the league is what makes Don’s efforts so important and crucial, he said. In addition to serving as secretary and treasurer of the league, his primary duty is to find substitutes for absent players on a team.

Although scores are kept with averages and handicaps all figured into the bowling equations, Twito will be the first to say the league isn’t very competitive.

&uot;The league is much more social than competitive,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s good exercise and a good social activity. It’s a lot of fun.&uot;

For more information, or to join the Senior Bowling League, call Twito at 507-373-0114.

(Contact Jeffrey J. Marmorstone at jeff.marmorstone@albertleatribune.com or 379-3438.)