Max Strus’ second annual Bowl the Land event passed memories forward — just like his uncle once did for him

NORTH OLMSTED — Before the lanes filled and the signatures on glossy Cavs memorabilia began to pile up, Max Strus stepped aside to take a moment for himself before his second annual Bowl the Land event.

He stood in the middle of the RollHouse in North Olmsted on Sunday afternoon, reviewing the long list of sponsors before addressing the crowd, but more importantly, soaking in the realization that he had built something capable of changing someone’s life.

His event has grown in just one year, but the core hasn’t changed.

It’s still about family. It’s still about impact. And it’s still about the memory of an uncle who once took him and his cousins to something very similar, back home in Chicago.

“This event is very special to me, and it’s my second year doing it,” Strus told the gathering. “I lost my uncle about eight years ago … And his two sons are actually here tonight. He worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, and when we were growing up, he would take us to the ‘Bowling with the Bears’ every year. That’s where this idea has come about.

“It was something I always remembered and something I always thought if I was ever in this position, this is an event that I would like to do because I think it’s a lot of fun and it’s truly a memorable night and things that I enjoyed. So I wanted to bring that here.”

Clark and Stone Brinkman are the cousins he grew up attending those events with. They volunteered all weekend. They watched their cousin take something their father gave them and turn it into a tradition of his own.

Strus’ second annual Bowl the Land event was led by the Max Strus Family Foundation. It brought together family members, Cavs staffers, sponsors, community partners and “even Moondog,” Strus joked. Nearly the entire roster was in attendance as the space approached capacity. To add to the backing, Donovan Mitchell’s SPIDACARES foundation sponsored a lane.

“Just having that kind of support, phenomenal,” Strus said about his teammates. “Just them alone being here is more than anything I can ask for. It shows you how close-knit we are as a team. And no matter what, they’re always going to support, we’re always going to support each other, no matter what.”

In January, the Max Strus Family Foundation was just launching. By Sunday, it had distributed more than $160,000 in grant funding.

The foundation supports organizations across youth sports, education, cancer outreach and mental health. Groups like Project NICU and Empower Sports have been guests at events with Strus; the 29-year-old has visited them on their own turf too.

“I think the most rewarding part is, yes, giving the money to those organizations that are doing powerful things in their communities,” Strus said. “But I think the most important thing is going to meet those people, going to be a part of those organizations.

“I went to watch Empower Sports play basketball and to see what they do and see how they’re affecting people’s lives is something that is truly special and near and dear to me. To be able to see that and see that the money that we raise and the money that we’ve given can help them in any way is just something that I’m very grateful to be a part of.”

Strus remembers what it felt like to be one of those kids at the Bears’ charity event. The laughter. The moments with his cousins. How the memory stayed.

“We grew up going to those events, and it was something that I’ve remembered since I was a kid,” Strus said. “So to do this and have a bunch of kids here, hopefully they’ll remember this for the rest of their lives as well.”

But Strus isn’t that little kid anymore. He didn’t pick up a ball himself on Sunday. Instead, he moved through the room with intent, making sure everyone else got their turn.

And maybe one day — if he really lets himself imagine it — a kid in attendance could grow up and recreate a similar tradition for someone else. But that’s in the distant future.

For now, Strus is focused on building something steady in Cleveland, one event at a time. The memories and experiences that shaped him are now shaping someone else.

“My dreams, my vision has come to life,” Strus said. “I hope you guys can see that … the goal is to keep continuing to do that with events like this and nights like this, and like I said, just try to create a sense of community for all.”