Marj Moore was born in Guelph, Ontario, just prior to the beginning of the Great Depression. However, at the age of two and a half, Marj was brought to Goderich and was raised on a small farm about 10 miles outside of the town.

In 1947, she married Sonny, and two daughters, Barb and Linda, soon followed. As her daughters were growing up, Marj looked for some recreation and became interested in a ladies bowling league at the newly opened centre in her hometown. Appropriately called Little Bowl, the first owner of the six lane centre was Harry Little, a gentleman, who not only lived in the area but worked for John Lauman, an individual who already owned bowling centres in both Listowel and Elmira.

As a league member, Marj became interested in the administrative side of the league operations. As such, a fifty year volunteer career was born. Marj became an integral part of the growth of both the youth and adult bowlers in the Bluewater zone, an area that covered the largest area of the province bordering on Lake Huron.

As the Youth Bowling Council was expanding in this new geographic area, Marj followed Vern Johnston as zone representative and she remains in that role to this day. Over the years, Marj has coached both teams and singles, organized tournaments and travel for her zone bowlers and attended the meetings each year to administer this process. The zone Youth Bowling Council representative also has the opportunity to coach at the YBC national championships. As such, Marj has been to seven Canadian Championships, coaching and chaperoning the girls who are competing for the national title.

Marj starred on the lanes as well. From her league days in 1956, Marjs average improved dramatically and, in 1961, she qualified ninth in the province and bowled on the Ontario mixed team at the Canadian Championships in St. Catharines. In 1971, Marj rolled both a 435 single and 948 triple and this single game score still stands today as the highest score ever recorded in the center.

As well, she has qualified for the Open on fifteen occasions in singles and team play. Marj also coached on ten other occasions as well. In her later years, she has bowled at Ontario Senior Games and her seniors team from Goderich was victorious in Windsor in 2005. In recognition of her performances, Marj was named the Outstanding Bowler of the past fifty years at the golden anniversary celebrations at Little Bowl in Goderich.

From this adult participation, Marj also lent her administration talents to the Bluewater 5 Pin Bowlers Association. She was the first treasurer when the zone organized in 1972 and held that position for twenty years and she continues on the zone board to this day as Vice President.

In recent years, Marj has been recognized for her achievements. In 2002, in conjunction with Queen Elizabeths Golden Jubilee, Marj was recognized for thirty plus years of volunteer service. In Goderich, in 2005, Marj received a Lifetime Sports Volunteer Award, which was presented by Federal Member of Parliament, Ken Dryden, as part of Young Canada Week. The Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers Association awarded Marj a thirty-five year volunteer service award at their annual Convention. Finally this year, the Ontario government presented Marj with a Syl Apps award for outstanding commitment and contribution to amateur sport in the province.

This year, only sixteen individuals were recognized and this award is a fitting tribute to Marjs outstanding career.