Angels Camp, CA….The 2023 AMA Crab Feed is Feb 18! Get Your Tickets Now! Crab & Beef in a Barrel Available. Saturday, February 18, 2023 at the Mark Twain Hall, Calaveras Fairgrounds. All you can eat buffet. No Host Bar 6pm | Dinner 7pm. Music & Dancing, Silent Auction & 50/50 Prizes. Proceeds benefit the AMA youth sports.

AMA stands for Angels – Murphys – Arnold, and has been a strong force supporting kids sports programs since 1971. Much of AMA’s success should be credited to the original founders. Around the end of 1969, a few men, Larry Ziehlke, Millard Smallin and Dan Miller, were trying to put a football team together for the kids in the community. In moving forward with their ideas, these men were joined by Ray Shires, Terry Erickson, Don Peirano and Bob Sanders to form the AMA Booster’s Club in 1971.

After a great deal of hard work and dedication, the first Pop Warner Football Teams were fielded. These men inspired the local community to donate to their youth sport program. For the community, it was a matter of pride to be able to contribute to AMA. One contributor, Dave Copello, took interest in AMA and offered to help this organization. Subsequently, Dave Copello donated six acres to build softball fields for the girls, since little league already had a place to play.

In order to begin development on Copello Park, many volunteers came forward to donate their time and equipment. Mother Lode Engineering, Fletcher Construction, Sutton Construction, Hydrox Inc., George Reed Inc., Baileys Masonry, Wayne Segale General Contractor and Ray Shires Excavating were the pioneers of contributions that helped build Copello Park. In 1974, Dave Copello passed away, but not before he saw most of Copello Park completed. His legacy is still with us as he left AMA 5/7 of his estate.

AMA benefits youth of ages between 6 to 15 years old. These activities have included such sports as basketball, cheerleading, football, ponytail softball, snow sports, soccer, summer softball, swimming, volleyball and wrestling. Over the years, AMA has supported many youth activities such as high school – middle school – grammar school sports programs, the Jr. Livestock Auction at the Fair, local Jr. Olympics, Special Olympics, Academic Decathlon’s, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, FFA, 4-H, Little League, MACTA Tennis and more. AMA also has a Scholarship Program that benefits past AMA participants for college; (8) $500.00 scholarships yearly.