Miners booster club hosts offseason event to celebrate championship season

PALMER — The Valley remains locked in the dead of winter, but that doesn’t mean Mat-Su Miners faithful aren’t ready to celebrate the spirit of the summer season.

The Mat-Su Miners Nuggets Booster Club is hosting its second annual Nuggets’ Cabin Fever Reliever, once again with the theme, “Celebrating the Boys of Summer.” The event slated for Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Palmer Depot is important to the local summer amateur collegiate developmental squad and its booster club for a variety of reasons, Nuggets president Nicole Calderea said recently.

“We miss our summer people,” Calderea said.

Calderea said those within Miners organization and the booster club pride themselves on being a strong part of the Mat-Su community. But the Miners also provide a community atmosphere each night during the summer season, Calderea said. Calderea said those who make their nightly trip to Hermon Brothers Field to see the Miners during the Alaska Baseball League season tend to miss it during the offseason. Calderea said organizers hope, with events such as the Cabin Fever Reliever, the offseason wait for opening day may not seem as long.

“It’s a couple of hours together with our favorite people, celebrating last season’s win,” Calderea said.

Calderea said she hopes to see the Nuggets Booster Club grow with these types of events.

“We are really trying to grow the booster, volunteer program,” Calderea said. “It takes a village, truly. So many people do help with the Miners.”

Calderea said about 200 people attended the first event last year.

“Last year the people we saw there are the same people always supporting us during the summer,” Calderea said.

Tickets for the event, which is open to the public, are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Each ticket is good for eight pours of locally crafted beer and spirits into a special edition pilsner glass commemorating the Mat-Su Miners ABL championship season in 2016. Calderea said the beer selections include Arkose Brewery, Bearpaw River Brewing and Bleeding Heart Brewing. Southern Distillery and Odom Corporation are providing spirits. There are also tickets available for $20 for designated drivers.

Desserts are being provided by Turkey Red and community members, and the night will also feature food courtesy of the board members. The event will also include a silent auction and 50-50 raffle.

Calderea said, looking at the big picture, the booster club has put together a number of goals that are part of its five-year plan. In addition to hosting these events, Calderea said the club has established its 501c3 status, and will pursue a gaming license at some point. A major objective is establishing a scholarship program for both local students and local adults interested in continuing their education.

As far as next year, the club is considering altering the theme. The idea currently on the table, Calderea said, is “Balls, Beer and Burlesque.”

To purchase tickets in advance, contact Denise Christopher at 841-4589.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.