As the Portage Terriers gear up for the 2025-2026 season, the organization is once again calling on the community to step up and open their homes to junior hockey players through its billeting program.
Billeting, a long-standing tradition in junior hockey, involves local families hosting out-of-town players for the season, providing them with a home away from home. For Kellie Minoletti and her family, the experience was not only positive, but transformative.
"We had a really positive experience," said Minoletti. “We were totally new to it, and it can be overwhelming to have a stranger in your home. But honestly, the whole Terrier community is a wonderful one. You're giving someone a place to live so they can chase their dream, and in return, they become part of your family."
Minoletti's husband Justin, a former Portage Terrier and former billet himself, helped influence the family's decision.
"He had a really good experience being billeted," she said. "These kids are away from home, some from the U.S., Alberta, Quebec, and some of them are just 16 to 18 years old. They need a place that feels safe and supportive."
That sentiment is echoed by billet coordinator Jessica Martin, who helps recruit families each season.
"We're always kind of looking," Martin explained. "Some families retire from billeting; others have changes in housing or life circumstances. This year, we're looking for at least four or five more homes."
Martin has billeted players herself and describes it as deeply rewarding.
"We had the same player, Nolan Nenow, for two years, and he was wonderful. The expectation is just to treat them like your own and welcome them into your home, have family dinners, and include them when you can."
The impact extends far beyond the players and their host families. According to Minoletti, the presence of a billet player had a powerful influence on her children.
"We have a four-year-old who loves hockey, and having a billet brother to look up to was amazing," she said. "We'd have family dinners and talk about hockey, and now all summer he's been asking, 'Are we going to have another billet brother?'”
The Terriers billet program isn't just about providing a roof and meals. It's about offering support at a critical point in a young athlete's life and building relationships that often last long after the hockey season ends.
"The families are always so grateful," said Minoletti. "You're becoming part of their lives. I know families who've stayed in contact for years, even attending weddings. It really is a bond for life."
Martin agrees. "There's no special skill required just a loving heart," she said. "We want these players to feel like they belong, and the families that open their homes make that possible."
Anyone interested in becoming a billet family can visit www.portageterriers.com for more information or reach out directly to billet coordinators Nancy Funk or Jessica Martin.
When Minoletti was asked what she would tell families on the fence about being a billet family she said,
"Just do it, especially if you have kids, it’s such a great experience for everyone involved."
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