b'2024 VAST Annual Meeting & AwardsHosted By Washington CountyAward write-ups by Patty CompanikHe has always been the main drivingmany committees throughout the years. force behind the success of the clubsHe served as the clubs president for Annual Chicken Barbeque. Hisover 30 years.commitment began around the timeHe was the owner of the sub-contractor when the club was first founded in 1970.for the grooming contract for over 25 He joined as a junior member at the ageyears. He has contributed many years of of 12,and has been an active memberpersonal effort and investment,striving ever since. for cost effective equipment for midsize trail grooming and maintenance needs.Trailblazer: Larry RussTrailblazer: Rudy ChiekaNewbury Border Riders Chester Snowmobile Club Larry has been very active with his club for over 25 years. He has been Rudy individual has focused his effortsvery generous volunteering his time on trail work for several clubs in bothto groom the clubs class 4 trails, Windham and Windsor county since theobtaining landowner permission slips, early 80s. He has donated thousands ofand performing trail workdollars of materials and equipment overHe has also been active at the county the years and some pretty significantlevel, holding various positions donations after the July floods this pastthroughout the years. He has held the year. position of his clubs trailmaster and He has introduced several young kidsTrailblazer: John Hull will continue in that role under the new in his family to snowmobiling. WhenNortheast Kingdom Snow Blastersmerging club.they outgrew the mini sleds, he donatedJohn has been a club president since them to other families to enjoy. He and2017. He is the county director,Trailblazer: Paul Beaulieu his family will chase the snow if needed.representing his county at the VASTNewbury Border RidersThey have been known to take familylevel. He has been on his countys board vacations to ensure his family gets toof directors for many years. Paul Beaulieu has held various officer enjoy the snowmobiling experience He donates his own equipment forpositions and taken on numerous trail work. He spearheaded the clubsvolunteer tasks, including serving Trailblazer: Stuart Tiger Bacon II Calcutta and Blaster Bash which haveas vice president of the club prior to Upper Valley Trailblazer Snow Packers become staple fundraisers for his club.its merger. Like others, he works on He organized the clubs purchase of atrail maintenance and helps secure Stuart has been volunteering for farnew PistenBully and groomer barn. landowner permission slips.longer than 25 years. He has been aBeaulieu has also been active at the volunteer for the better part of the clubscounty level, having served as county 54 years of existence. Trailblazer: Rooney Gibbsvice president in the past. He remains He has served as club president for 15Grafton Outing Club an active member and played a key role years. He is one of the clubs primaryRooney was one of the foundingin making the countys first gun raffle a groomer operators. He is the mostmembers for the Grafton Outing Clubsuccess, which helped establish Orange knowledgeable when it comes toback in the 1980s. He then became verycountys first emergency fund to support troubleshooting and maintaining theinvolved representing his county at theall county clubs.clubs PistenBully. He is the clubsVAST level shortly after. He served as best diplomat when working withWindham county trails coordinator, landowners. Windham county director, and was on 16 | Snowmobile VERMONT'