ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MARIPOSA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION (ABOVE) AND THE GRIZZLY BOOSTERS (ABOVE, RIGHT) TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE FUND RAISING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE SUPERBOWL. Something very special happened in Mariposa last weekend, and whether you are a football fan, supporter of youth programs or a business person, it affected you. The Mariposa Youth Football (MYF) League hosted the 2009 Trans Valley Youth Football League Superbowl games, and the event couldn’t have been more successful.

Thousands of people came to Mariposa beginning on Friday evening and lasting through late Sunday afternoon. MYF kicked-off the weekend with a bonfire that brought hundreds to the old Frost Shop lot. That was only the beginning. On Saturday, the Gold Bowl was packed with football fans cheering on their teams. They came from Tracy, Modesto, Ripon and other areas. The RV spaces at the fairgrounds were filled with rigs flying team flags and people tailgating.

Forget getting a parking spot in town on Saturday. From Highway 49 South to 12th Street, there wasn’t any parking. Shuttle buses brought people from the fairgrounds to town and back. Nearly every motel room was booked. Businesses were crowded, and some local residents were quite surprised to find themselves waiting in line for purchases.

In the end, the extra commerce is a great help to the local economy. The exposure of Mariposa County will definitely pay off in the long run. Those aren’t the most important things about what happened here last weekend.

The community, especially its young people, saw what it takes to plan and execute a large-scale event like this. They witnessed volunteers’ hard work and dedication. They knew the effort was for them. That isn’t a message that is often communicated. Hopefully, the community is listening clearly.

Mariposa Youth Football has tried for years to get the Superbowl games here, but until now, was unsuccessful. This year’s success is directly attributable to the current board of the organization, particularly Bob Kirchner, Jr., who is the league representative. But the party planning and logistics are due to a “paid” volunteer, Bob Kirchner, Sr. Neither Kirchner has children or grandchildren in the program.

Rumor has it that the younger Kirchner shelled out a dollar to enlist his dad’s help when this whole thing began. Boy, did he (and the entire community) get his money’s worth.