b'8EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORTSubmitted by Cindy LockeSo much that we do here at VAST is tried and trueWhile we maintain a membership base of about 21,000 and going back 20, 30, 40 and 50 years, like the needmembers, we continue to strive to grow that. Every for our hands-on volunteers who work on trails, holdyear we bring in new members from out of state, but fundraisers, get landowner permissions and muchwe continue to lose folks that have their snowmobiles more. We also have the staff at VAST working hardregistered in VT. We are not sure if this is Vermonters partnering with volunteers to make sure they havedeciding to register in another state, but still buy a the tools you need while running this large and veryTMA in Vermont, or just that our sport continues to important organization together. grow more expensive and some folks just cant afford it Last winter, we had some great riding out there, butany longer. If you look at what it costs to own and ride also a major defrost in the south in early February thata snowmobile, the cost of registration and a TMA is low put a stop to riding in some regions, or set-up a slowcompared to all the other costs associated with it. But recovery for others. Clubs were on their toes as alwayswhat about riders who used to be able to ride from and doing what they could so our members could ridetheir house, but because of snow pattern changes can some beautiful trails. I rode every single weekend thisno longer do that and the cost of having a truck and past winter again to visit with clubs, enjoy the trails andtrailer to travel and ride is just out of their reach? There attend and support VAST events. I rode 2,500 miles oncan be many contributing factors to why folks leave 47 different club systems and in ten counties. I hope tosnowmobiling, while others are coming to it new.do the same this coming winter and continue to expandThis past summer, the VAST leadership (Long Range it to places I have not yet been. I would like to thankPlanning Committee), Board of Directors, Alternate all of you who showed me around and introduced meDirectors, some County Presidents and some County to your trail network, and a hearty thank you to thoseTrail Coordinators met again to go over the future maintaining the VAST trail network! direction of VAST. We looked at ways to save money,'