The St. Cloud Norsemen had the past weekend off from NAHL games, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t find a way to get together and have some fun on Friday night. In a wonderful event that was put on for the players by their billet families, they participated in a car rally; that’s similar to a scavenger hunt that involved driving around town, and it saw the players visiting some sponsors and having a lot of fun in the process.
Since the Norsemen players not only come from all over the country but all over the world, almost all of them stay with families in or near St. Cloud that they refer to as their billet homes.
St. Cloud Norsemen Volunteer Coordinator Kate Meemken, who is a billet mom herself, lays out what took place on Friday. “Shelly (a billet mom) got them into teams of four or five and we gave them clues and they went to certain destinations which ended up being their major sponsors and do activities there,” explains Meemken. “It was a lot of fun and it was cool that they got to get out and see more of St. Cloud and say thank you to everyone who’s been helping support their season.”
Meemken wasn’t the only one who thought the adventure was an enjoyable night; so did the players. “It was a fun event that allowed us guys to all get together away from games and practice and bond,” says returning Norsemen forward Kade Peterson.
The car rally took them to a total of six sponsors: Fleet Farm, House of Pizza, Kwik Trip, Miller Auto, Pantown Brewing, and Premier Real Estate. The Norsemen players are well aware that what they get to do, both on and off the ice, wouldn’t be possible if it were not for their sponsors. “It was extremely fun, I had a great time bonding with teammates and showing our sponsors support that they deserve,” says Blake Perbix, another returning wing for the Norsemen.
Meemken knows that an event like this wouldn’t have gotten off the ground were in not for the work that the billets put in. “Most of the billet families were involved as far as bringing food; we fed the boys at the rink before and after their little adventure and then a few billets were out at each (sponsor) spot,” Meemken clarifies. “So the players got to meet more of the billet families as well when they were out and about.”
Meemken viewed the whole experience as more than just a night of fun; it really helps bring the whole team of players, billet families and the organization all together. “A lot of the billet families helped out. Besides the fact that we got to support and be there for sponsors it also brought us together so we can be more of a Norsemen family.”
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