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 566 | Snowmobile VERMONT VAST News Fourth of July weekend had beautiful sunny summer weather with family time, cook-outs, parades and fireworks. What a great way to spend a few days! The furthest things from most people’s minds are cold, snow, trail signs and fallen trees. In only a few short months, all that will come back to the top of the list for some. For others, it always lingers not all that far down the list. Many club social media pages show that bridge projects, trail clearing and sign upgrades are already in the works and several have just wrapped up having a float in the local parade. Some clubs also held fundraisers during local celebrations that were staffed and organized by many volunteers behind the scenes. Many clubs have a very small group of dedicated people that try to keep everything moving in the right direction. Clubs could always use help. Maybe you have a skill or are in a profession that could assist your club. Maybe you’re an accountant, bookkeeper, or a PR/marketing type of person. These are all abilities that any club would love to have access to. Perhaps you are a web designer or social media guru. Volunteers with skills in those areas can make any club better by boosting exposure and sharing more information with members. This will help grow the club and VAST as a whole. Think about how you might be able to help your club this summer and fall. Reach out and ask if there might be a project coming up that you could help with. It’s been said before and it is true that“little things mean so much.” We have 170 days or so until winter. “Why the rush?”one might ask. There is no rush. It’s about enjoying other necessary parts of the sport and having a good time. It is about working with friends and landowners, solving problems to make trails safer and more enjoyable when the snow finally does arrive. It’s about less of a rush, actually. More projects can be done in good weather with drier conditions and better access. Property that is used for the trail system in the winter looks totally different when the snow is gone. It’s amazing what a foot or two of snow can hide until the spring thaw. These are aspects of the sport that not everyone considers. Landowner relations are a year-round undertaking. Trash left behind from January or February not found until summer can result in a property closure just as easily as off-trail riding during the season. Respect of what we borrow for the months between December and April shouldn’t stop in the summer. Those landowners are as important to us in July as they are in January and we need to remember we are all in this together throughout the entire year. Respect, Reach Out, Enjoy! - Jeff Fay, VAST Vice President A message from VAST Vice President Jeff Fay LAWSONS RECEIVE CITIZENSHIP AWARD By David A. Rouleau The town of Barre selectboard presented James and Beverlee Lawson with the 2016 Wendell F. Pelkey Citizenship and Public Service Award in late March. This award recognizes individuals for their “long- standing devotion, public service and community leadership.” Jim and Bev own and operate Lawson’s Store, which has been a key “hub” in the Websterville area for decades, providing locals with necessary sundries and gossip. Jim and Bev have been involved with and continue to support recreational snowmobiling. They served as officers as far back as 1972 and were recently featured for their volunteering in the Early Winter 2015 Snowmobile Vermont magazine. Many residents shared stories about Jim and Bev during the ceremony and Jim recollected about when he used to take the train into Barre to do errands. Congratulations to them on this well-deserved award!