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 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80Winter 2017 | 29 Why I Volunteer Lorraine Tully Morse, Secretary Deerfield Valley Stump Jumpers I walked into the Deerfield Valley Stump Jumpers Snowmobile Club’s trailer headquarters 13 years ago very frustrated that the trails hadn’t been groomed. For the first time in a long time, we could snowmobile New Year’s Eve weekend because a winter snowstorm left 12 inches of fresh snow on the trails. NO TRAILS HAD BEEN PACKED! “WHAT”?!!? I said to the man behind the desk. He looked up at me and said, “You want to make it better? Get involved.” And so I did. I showed up at the next club meeting to find out the DVSJ snowmobile club had a registered membership of 1,200- 1,600 snowmobiles and only a handful of volunteers were committed for the seasonal trail work, debris cleanup, bridge repairs, and updating trail signage. Snowmobile clubs throughout the state rely on volunteers to maintain trails and volunteers are key to the success of a snowmobile club. Sadly, it is always just a few showing up to do the work. Little did I realize that you benefit so much more than just making the trails better. There is the social aspect of getting to know other snowmobilers, joining in on the club events, and meetings. Working together develops great friendships because you work as a team effort, learning to trust and to accomplish the job. What a heartwarming experience it is to get things done with friends and fellow snowmobilers! There is a feeling of pride you get when Lorraine always finds the time to take care of club business and enjoy the trails. you become involved with the community. You also get to know the businesses and learn the economic impact that snowmobilers give back to the growth of towns and cities. You become closer to this important winter sport and you realize the enormous volunteer effort that is needed. It’s never too late to help. It’s never too late to make a difference. Just do it! Mike Mutascio, Webmaster & Secretary Lunenburg Polar Bears My brother introduced me to snowmobiling in 1990 and it quickly emerged as my favorite hobby. At first, spending Mike is surely a jack-of-all-trades for the Lunenburg Polar Bears and enjoys playing several roles within his club. money, buying magazines and praying for snow was all that was needed. As time went by, I compiled a resume of snowmobiling experience. I then realized my favorite hobby was actually the result of volunteer efforts. So I retooled some priorities. My wife even joined in on the fun. By garnishing snowmobiling with volunteerism, my favorite hobby simply got better. Today, surrounded by a community of snowmobiling enthusiasts, there’s no better place to be. I enjoy preserving previous achievements while trying unique solutions for future challenges. It is fun to listen, learn, lead and follow. You can ride with the groomer, pound a stake, help with an event, organize a ride or simply share a tale. The opportunities are endless and the payoff is powerful. I sense there are many people with busy personal and professional schedules unaware it is still possible to volunteer. Yet I also respect those that are confident they cannot. But amongst us all, we must recognize that a solution from a volunteer can be more lasting than a solution from a dollar bill. I challenge everyone to find that one “something” inside you that can propel Vermont snowmobiling. Make that something happen. Why do I volunteer? I got smarter. My club fits perfectly. I cannot groom a trail, but I can groom ideas. I cannot guarantee trail conditions. But I can guarantee when I volunteer the ride is so much better.