St. Michael-Albertville in Running to Become Kraft's Hockeyville
An award of $150,000 in arena upgrades is on the line if STMA earns a spot in the finals.
April 13, 2015 By Mike Schoemer
A Minnesota community has earned a spot among the top 10 to become Kraft's newest Hockeyille USA. St. Michael-Albertville, which plays its youth hockey at the STMA Arena in Albertville, has already earned $20,000 in arena upgrades via Kraft's Hockeyville USA contest, and could win $150,000 more, as well as the opportunity to host a National Hockey League pre-season game in 2015.
STMA was the only community from the "State of Hockey" to win a spot in the final 10. There are five communities from the West and East regions, each vying for a spot in the final four. Voting to earn a spot in the semifinal began at 11 p.m. Monday, April 13 and will continue until 10:59 p.m. CDT on Thursday, April 16.
"We're thrilled to be recognized by Kraft for our community pride and our passion for hockey," said Albertville Mayor Jillian Hendrickson. "Additional funding would boost momentum for arena expansion plans in our community."
St. Michael-Albertville's submission was entered by Kathy Lester, a local hockey fan. The 10 finalists were selected on a criteria that reflects the community's passion for hockey, community spirit, and creativity/originality.
STMA's passion is evident in its efforts to rally the community behind a hockey program that is one of the largest in the state, relying on one rink to house its more than 500 players. Lester pointed out that securing additional funding via the Kraft Hockeyville Contest would allow players to train and play closer to home. You can view her complete entry here.
Other prizes for communities include a runner-up prize of $75,000 in arena upgrades and two "first prizes" of $40,000 in upgrades for the winning communities' facility.
"We're ecstatic to have a position in the final 10 communities," said Josh Opiola, president of the St. Michael-Albertville Youth Hockey Association. "All of our volunteers have worked diligently to support and grow the game we love, and this is a prime example of that passion for hockey in our community."
There are three ways to vote in the Kraft Hockeyville USA contest. Fans can text "Albertville" to 35350, call in a vote at 1-855-255-5975, or visit KraftHockeyville.com and vote online. Voting is open to all those 13 years of age and older, and voters can submit 50 votes via EACH method, for a total of 150 entries per DAY. Further details are on the Kraft Hockeyville website.
Supporters in STMA have also set up a website with information about the contest at VoteSTMA.com, and a Facebook Event site with voting reminders and instructions is also available.
Tagged With: Kathly Lester, Kraft Hockeyville, STMA Arena