10 | Snowmobile VERMONT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS The Scholarship and Recognition Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the two VAST $1,500 scholarships for 2017. Alexis Allen of Chelsea, Vt. is a member of the Frigid Frost Fighters and volunteers with trail work. She Send your Snow Angel photos to editor@vtvast.org. If we use your photo, we’ll send you a small Snowmobile Vermont t-shirt for your angel! Lucas Allen is 12 years old and recently attended the VAST Construction Seminar with his dad, Neil. He is the“assistant trail coordinator in-training”for the Otter Creek Sliders and he enjoys doing trail work such as mowing and dragging brush. “Our grandson Ryan Rennie, age 8, loves to snowmobile with us in the Northeast Kingdom.” –Don and Karen Nelson Ethan Engstrom has his own pint-sized trail maintenance vehicle for working on Iroquois Snow Beavers’trails! will be a student at the University of Vermont this fall to study early childhood education. Alex Desjardin of Uxbridge, Mass. is a member of the Lunenburg Polar Bears and is an active member attending meetings and volunteering at events. He will be studying criminal justice at the University of New Haven or Johnson and Wales. Both winners chose to write their essays on: The Economic Benefit of Snowmobiling to Vermont’s Economy Alexis Allen’s essay: Snowmobiling has been a great way for families to get outside and enjoy Vermont’s fresh air in the winter season. Since snowmobiling has been around for many years, it has had a lot of benefits for everyone. Snowmobiling provides entertainment and fun for a wide range of ages. People can get out, spend time with friends and have a great time enjoying the snow Vermont has for us. Snowmobiling has also provided, and still is providing Vermont with economic benefits. Vermont has been one of the destinations that many snowmobilers like to come to every year. Typically, except for a few random years, Vermont is filled with large amounts of snow through the winter season. When there is a lot of snow, it draws in the out-of-staters who enjoy the snowmobiling season just as much as we Vermonters do. With the people coming to Vermont to enjoy this sport, stores along the trails have seen an increase in profit over the snowmobiling season. The access routes along the trails provide the stores with an easy way for the snow travelers to make their way off the trail and get a quick lunch, or a snack and beverage. There are also restaurants around the trails that attract the snow travelers and help Vermont’s businesses. VAST News