FAIRMONT — There are things to look forward to at Bowlmor Lanes as it rolls out new changes, events and plans. Owner Courtney Pederson gave the Fairmont Early Risers Kiwanis Club the full scoop during its weekly meeting on Wednesday morning at The Ranch in Fairmont.

“We’ve done a lot to put our roots deep into the community,” Pederson said.

Pederson bought into ownership of Bowlmor Lanes nine months ago when the business was facing the possibility of permanent closure. Since then, Bowlmor Lanes has made major progress, striving to foster an inclusive environment and present diverse offerings.

So far, Bowlmor Lanes has presented an upcoming kids summer camp, Senior Citizen Day, partnerships with the Martin County Humane Society/Carl Nettifee Memorial Animal Shelter to sponsor animals that have been in the shelter’s care for a long time and seasonal/holiday events. They’ve added a photo booth room in partnership with Prolific Memories and have ramped up their social media and community engagement.

“People need an outlet. You need a place to go, you need the feeling of community, you need a group to be in, you need people who see you and truly see you, for you to feel that you matter, for you to make your kids feel like they matter. For your kids to feel like they need to be in groups that matter, like it’s just a continuous thing that we’re basically trying to do. We’re trying to support our staff and have our staff support our customers, and it’s actually going pretty good,” Pederson reported.

Looking ahead, Bowlmor Lanes plans to partner with the Martin County Library to launch a summer reading program to offer pizza and bowling perks to children for reading, re-sand the new volleyball court, introduce summer volleyball leagues and introduce all-skill bowling leagues.

Other things Pederson talked about include a community talent show on July 4, installing a ‘mommy and me’ nursing room and Pints and Ponytails for fathers to learn to do their daughters’ hair. She also said they’d like to expand bathrooms for accessibility and coordinate with senior living facilities for monthly senior-focused events.

In addition, Pederson explained that Bowlmor Lanes is always open to suggestions.

“We are really trying to do every single thing we can to get people in the door, to get people to see us, to smile when they think of us. Your first place is home. Your second place is work. Your third place usually is church. We can be your fourth place,” Pederson said.

Bowlmor Lanes is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays, noon to 12 a.m. on Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, and is located at 617 South State Street in Fairmont. Visit www.bowlmor-lanes.com or the Facebook page, “Bowlmor Lanes Fairmont,” for additional updates and events by Bowlmor Lanes.