Bowling fundraiser to benefit U.P.S.E.T.

The use and production of meth in the U.P. has been on the rise over the past few years and agencies like U.P.S.E.T. have been depleting their funds combating the problem.

To help the U.P.S.E.T. team continue fighting meth producers in the U.P., the Marquette County Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Coalition is putting on a fundraiser.

“They’re not considered a non-profit even though they don’t work for a profit,” Sarah Derwin, a coordinator for the Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Coalition, said. “They’re a governmental agency so it really limits what types of grants they can apply for. They run solely on the grants they can get and contributions.”

The grants U.P.S.E.T. is eligible to receive really only cover wages. Other costs are covered through donations or fundraisers, or out of officers’ pockets.

Derwin said, “When they seize something like cars, property, that sort of thing; none of that can be turned over because of the contamination issue so they are not able to [recuperate] any costs by that.”

U.P.S.E.T. has jurisdiction over the U.P.’s 12 western counties.

The event is at 5 p.m. tonight at Superior Lanes in Marquette Township. $10 gets you unlimited bowling and pizza, with proceeds going to defer U.P.S.E.T.’s operational costs.