The event space at Lupulin Brewing in Big Lake was filled with Vikings fans last Sunday who were present not only to watch the Vikings play the Seattle Seahawks, but also to support Skol for Skolarships, a fundraising event to help raise money for Minnesota youth athletes.
During the event, Lupulin donated $1 from every pour to Sportsline Photography’s “Share Your Favorite Sports Memory” youth scholarship program.
Sportsline Knows Sport
Sportsline Photography has been supporting local athletes for more than a decade, working directly with youth leagues across the state including Big Lake youth lacrosse, baseball, and wrestling, Becker youth lacrosse, and Clear Lake baseball. Last year, Sportsline donated over $21,000 to local MN leagues to make youth sports more accessible, but they always felt they could do more, so they created the Share Your Favorite Sports Memories Scholarship to provide for families who might otherwise struggle to cover sports fees.
Sportsline donates directly to their partner leagues on behalf of scholarship recipients. During halftime of the Vikings game, the first three scholarship winners, who would share a total of $500 in total, were announced. Brittanie Riojas from Big Lake was one of those winners. She plays girls basketball and received $150. Dressed in her uniform and surrounded by her family, she proudly accepted the scholarship in front of a cheering crowd. They had little else to cheer for during the game.
“Sports give confidence, community, and unforgettable memories,” noted Joey Freeman, founder of Sportsline Photography, in a press release for the event. “This event is a chance for the public to support young athletes while enjoying great local beer, supporting MN local business, and Minnesota sports culture.”
Partnering with Lupulin
Front of the House Manager Jack Merwin of Lupulin Brewing agreed with Freeman’s statement.
“We try to be as active as we can in our community and this seemed like a great fit—supporting youth sports and keeping kids active.”
After the Nov. 30 event, Lupulin donated $172 and another $377.25 was also collected, bringing the total fundraising effort to $549.25. That amount will double the amount that will be given away in Feb. of 2026 because Sportsline has pledged to contribute $500 a quarter to the sports memory scholarship, in addition to what they have already planned to give to leagues, for a grand total of $1,049.25.
An event to announce those winners has not been finalized, however, Sportsline is considering several options.
If interested, go to Sportsline’s website and click on the resources tab. Future events will be updated on the Scholarships page.
Throughout the afternoon, the Vikings were never ahead; you could say they were always losing, but for those who participated in the free raffle, there were some winners. Four individual pints of beer and one growler pack worth $45, donated by Lupulin, were given away. Two tickets to an upcoming Saint Paul Saints game and $250 worth of gift cards from Walmart were also donated and given to a lucky winner, but the biggest winner on Sunday was Youth Sports because every kid should have the opportunity to play the sport they love.
