34 | Snowmobile VERMONT ESSEX COUNTY Club News Lyndon Sno-Cruisers As everyone is aware by now, there was some great riding at certain times during this season. If you were lucky, you were out enjoying the trails. The shiny blue snowmobiles had the pleasure of being out on those great days. We wish to thank everyone who participated in our Annual Poker Run with many snowmobilers riding. Tina Brooks won the $400 cash first prize. Paul Schartner Jr. won the second prize snowmobile jacket from Walt’s and Paul Schartner Jr. won the third prize CSS safety light from All Around Power. A big thank you goes to the area businesses that participated and provided prizes for the 10 places awarded. Again this year, Every Buddy’s Casual Dining in Lyndonville provided $100 toward the first prize and hosted the reception party at the end. This support from Kathy and Rick Hanks and their staff is greatly appreciated. As our snowmobile season comes to an end, continue supporting these businesses that supported us during our riding season. Our support of them all year keeps them supporting us during our snowmobile events. We want to say thank you to the snowmobilers who rode our trails, respected the signage and stayed within the marked green stakes. That is what landowners want to see so that they will continue to give landowner trail permissions. We are again making plans to pull stakes and signs, storing them to be ready for next season. Hopefully, there are not many damaged stakes since that adds extra cost to any club’s budget. We are returning to the practice of one person in charge of a particular trail this season. This spreads our volunteer workers out and less work for everyone. Any TMA holder is a volunteer who can help. Check our website and contact the club to volunteer like others of us do. As summer comes, the Lyndon Sno- Cruisers will be putting on a pancake breakfast for NEMBAfest on June 23 and 24 at Wildflower Inn. It is time to go clean and wax the shiny blue snowmobiles for summer storage. Larry Dwyer, Secretary lyndonsnocruisers.com Like us on Facebook Kathy Hanks and Jerry Schartner check poker hands during the Lyndon Sno- Cruisers’poker run. Newark E-Z Riders Here it is at the beginning of March and the season is winding down again. It has been an up and down season for the sport. We had a great beginning with lots of snow and then a few warm ups and melt down to make it interesting. We can’t control the weather and have to enjoy what Mother Nature throws at us. The club has had a good season so far with no trail problems, loads of snow and some great grooming from the Brighton Snowmobile Club groomer operators. That being said, our trailmaster, Mark Ellingwood, was in the last VAST news in the Who’s In The Groomer section. Mark is a 19-year volunteer of the Brighton Snowmobile Club and enjoys grooming the trails a few nights a week. Mark’s dedication to the sport is apparent in his efforts to keep the trails in our area some of the best in the state. Thank you, Mark! Newark E-Z Riders was the host club at the Cole’s Pond Sledders’ Cook Shack the weekend Jan 27 and 28. Bruce, Dave, Cheryl, JoAnn, Kyle, and Janelle and I had a great time, met many new faces and reunited with some from the past. If you are in the area, stop by for some great food and company. Thank you to George and Colleen for hosting us at the Cook Shack. The club got together for a ride on Feb. 17, two groups of around 12 sleds each headed out for a half day ride and then back to the pond in Newark for a club cookout and meeting at a members home. It was a good ride with great food and an all around great get- together. Craig thanks for allowing the club to meet at your home. There is a great loss in our area and the snowmobile community with the unexpected passing of Dave Page. Dave was the trailmaster for BSC and VAST Essex county director. This is a huge loss not only to VAST, but the whole community. He was a good friend, a devoted volunteer and a mentor to many. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who was more passionate about snowmobiling or dedicated more of their life to the sport. Please ride safe. Steve Leedy, President Newarkezriders.com Like us on Facebook Brighton Snowmobile Club The Brighton Snowmobile Club was fortunate to have some wonderful Northeast Kingdom trail riding in January and the first part of February. However, Mother Nature did not cooperate with us towards the end of the month and into March. Although we still had some good riding in the higher elevations, while the rest of the state had virtually none, getting there was somewhat difficult unless you were trailering or had a place on the trail. Our January fundraiser, a dinner/raffle night, was a great success thanks to our many hard-working volunteers and all the businesses that made gift donations