Dickinson Pink Ladies target community needs
Mar. 12—DICKINSON — The Dickinson Pink Ladies have expanded their group, and for the first time ever have become a co-ed league that is focused on even more fundraising to assist people who are fighting cancer with their expenses. The league hosted an opening match this-past weekend at two different sites — Bernie's Esquire Club and the Southside Saloon — to kick-off their spring league, and they are already off-and-shooting. There has been an increase in the number of teams and a boost to the level of competition as a result of the changes.
"We have 18 teams of two this year and those 36 people are the most we've had so far and it's our first co-ed year," club vice president Gena Bowar said. "So-far, so-good."
She added, "So far, I think we've donated — in the last year-and-a-half — to maybe about 15 people," she said. "Right now, we donate about $500 a person."
There is a web-form that potential donees can fill out online that can be found through the Dickinson Pink Ladies Facebook page, and the group provides a gift basket for the donees, too, which contains a blanket, slippers, gift cards and more.
But the Dickinson Pink Ladies haven't lost sight of the original intent of helping community members through perhaps their most difficult times. They first got together back in 2021, and in the meantime have been able to connect with an ever-increasing number of darts enthusiasts, which also helped increase their ability to provide more every year.
"Our biggest thing right now is we want to get our name out there, so people know that we are here to help," Bowar said. "Our motto is, "No one fights alone,' and so when we attended the Women's Expo last year we did it just to get our name out there and we had a board set up so people could have a little fun."
Incidentally, Bowar and her teammate — Anthony Schaff — so the season got off to a bang for her and her partner with eight weeks remaining in competition. But Bowar said of the weekend's league play, "I think it was a good turnout ... the more people we get involved the more we can raise to be able to donate out."
While the organization has become co-ed for the first time, it began as a way to encourage women who love to play darts to come together each weekend and have fun, and they go to a different site each week. That gives people — especially newcomers who don't know the area that well, or those who want to get out of the house for a little while — a chance to meet new darts enthusiasts in a welcoming environment that's fun for all.
The Pink Ladies organization started in Yankton, SD in 2011 and the group has spread across the country over the last dozen years. There are roughly nine doubles matches each week, with 301 games and a few cricket matches thrown in for good measure.
The Dickinson Pink Ladies also were named "Best Civic Club" in The Dickinson Press's Best of the West contest for 2023-24, so the word truly is spreading.
"For me, it was to socialize with people because I ended up getting on a women's women's volleyball team with a couple of ladies and we said, 'Should we just start a women's dart team?' so that's how I got into darts," Bowar said. "We currently are working on our 501.c.3 so more people are willing to donate."
For more information about the Dickinson Pink Ladies Darts group, please visit
