An online campaign to raise money for Ellsworth’s nostalgic candlepin bowling alley has netted nearly $250,000 after being featured on CBS News Sunday Morning on Aug. 9. Autumn Mowery, who was just 18 when she took over Ellsworth Candlepin Bowling Alley, will use the money to expand her business, which has been in operation under various owners since 1974. The business, a cornerstone of Ellsworth’s social scene where families host birthday parties and friends compete in pool leagues, is one of a dwindling number of candlepin bowling alleys in Maine. Since she began running the bowling alley in 2021, Mowery, now 24, has revamped the aging community space, which is centered around candlepin bowling, a distinct New England sport. “I have exciting expansion ideas and additional entertainment projects I’d love to see happen that would continue transforming the bowling alley.