Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Fall 2016 | 53 contracts were sealed with a handshake. Further north, such tasks were more complicated for the large tracts of logging property. Each month, the club secretary would send a list of member names to St. Regis Paper Company. In return, the companies would provide the club with individual permission slips for each rider. The Polar Bears met at the sawdust pile, schoolyard or cemetery for club snowmachine rides. There were rodeos, races and dinner ride-ins. Trails were not groomed. There were no maps, but there was always a saw. Riders either knew where they were, or where they were not. Heading out on a snowmachine was thrilling and usually lasted all day. Babysitters were hired to watch the kids; they, too, wanted to be part of the action. Mothers ensured the children also received membership cards. Each card was a prized possession. Members also began showing an interest in first aid and safety training, which evolved into the Polar Bears Safety Patrol. It did not take long before they responded to an injury on Miles Pond in East Concord. A first aid kit consisted of cut bed linens collected at a meeting! Off the trail a variety of club events were scheduled at a furious pace. Various committees organized dances, picnics and drag-fund raffles. The directors completed the Vermont Incorporation process and also authorized the purchase of a clubhouse. The ongoing progress was recorded in ledger books garnished with perfect penmanship. Through the years, progress was not void of challenges and disruption. Repairs were often needed by the Casket Factory Brook. Storm damage wreaked havoc near the Slaughter House. Choosing curtains for the clubhouse was an arduous task. On Feb. 11, 1979, the meeting ended early so everyone could run home and watch the “Elvis” movie starring Kurt Russell on TV. The 1980s saw continued development of the club trail system which was coordinated with neighboring clubs. Trails extended from Concord to Guildhall, then north towards Bloomfield. A variety of small drags were either constructed or improvised. Members pulled them with their own machines, which included an ample supply of drive belts, fasteners and an “Operator-Of” VAST membership card. By the end of the 80s, the club welcomed a variety of efforts by VAST including startup funding for trail construction, grooming reimbursement and a law enforcement presence. A patrol was comprised of an officer and two club members. More change surfaced when the Essex County Snowmobile Club was formed. It was created as a requirement for insurance coverage for the trail system. Featured Club