The Lowell Spinners, Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, held a special fundraising event at LeLacheur park Thursday, February 18 to benefit the Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, who have seen a 70 percent slash in their funding and 90 percent of their staff cut in the previous months.
The Spinners opened their gates on a cold February night allowing patrons an all-access behind the scenes pass rarely given to the general public. Fans were granted access to the Spinners front offices, clubhouse and locker room for a night of wine, food and beer tasting not soon to be forgotten.
Wine vendors organized by Tutto Bene of Lowell sampled their product in the clubhouse once called home by everyone from Jonathan Papelbon to Kevin Youkilis, with jerseys hung in each stall.
Beer samples were provided by Merrimack Valley Distributors, allowing fans to sample the newest products from Sam Adams, Ipswich Ale and Longtrail Ale, with additional wine provided by Celebrity Wines, including pinots represented by Red Sox stars including David Ortiz and Youkilis.
The office typically manned by Spinners manager Gary DiSarcina was turned into a relaxation hotspot as the ladies from Body Destinations in Tewksbury offered complimentary chair massages.
In the Spinners conference room were the stars of the night: the 2004 and 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series trophies, ripe for photographs.
With tickets sold for $50 each and a silent auction of sports memrobilia, the event raised over $6,000 for the CVB in their time of need.
