b'Annual Meetingrepeatedly assesses trails throughoutpast season. They are fortunate to receive the year, suggesting improvements,plenty of snow, even when surrounding and is currently launching a committeeareas dont. In addition to regular riding, to address fundraising efforts for thethe team of grooming operators ensures club. Mike converts club documentationthat their trails are as smooth as possible to digital formats for efficient recordfor the clubs family-oriented annual keeping and has developed a sharedevents. The county trails coordinator has online map of the clubs trail systemsaid that this club does a very good job that tracks projects, bridges, and watergrooming and maintaining their trails. hazards, including pictures of theirThis is a club he doesnt have to worry bridges. In November, he accepted hisaboutthey just get it done!first leadership position as a director andGroomer of the Year: Steve Torrey routinely participates in club meetingsGreen Mountain Roamersand bylaw updates while encouragingSteve was able to groom for almost the business-like practices. He also attendsentire season this year due to the trail club social events. His nomination stateselevation terrain combined with forest-that he remains a valuable asset to thetype logging roads on the trails he cares club, VAST, and the future of Vermontfor. He was willing to groom anytime snowmobiling. the snow permitted, even when no one else was thinking of it or when most had thrown in the towel. Due to a large part of his dedication, the club saw some of their highest ridership in recent memory. Their parking areas were nearingMost Improved Trails: capacity often. He manipulates the snowGreen Mountain Roamersto make the trail as safe as possible andThis club has always done a great job on as wide as possible. When you groomtheir trails. However, as officers come with him, he shares his knowledge onand go, and winters arent what they the trail and explains how to groom itused to be, enthusiasm fades, and trails so the trails will be as good as possible.tend to suffer a bit. Deeply involved club During the season, he works an eight-to- officers passed away or moved out of 10-hour day managing tour operations,town, and slowly the struggle became Ambition Award: Melissa Bensonthen he loads up on coffee and snacksreal. Recently, some of the officers who Northeast Snow Blasters and heads out to flatten the trail forhave been proactive in keeping the club The next award recipient has beenanother day of riding. together were able to entice some new involved in snowmobiling for manyblood into the club in the form of a new years. She has supported several clubspresident. A lot of credit needs to be over the years, from different counties.given to those who not only hung on She has helped the Ludlow Side Hilland kept this club going during the lean Cronchers with fundraising events andtimes but also to their new president landowner relations. A staple supportfor stepping up. He doesnt live in the at their golfing event, she helps signarea, but he enjoys snowmobiling and folks in and sells raffle tickets duringenjoys riding in this area and saw the the event. She recently helped theneed to help. Upon being elected as Weathersfield Pathfinders hold theirpresident, he has worked to rebuild the first-ever Calcutta event this past season.clubs status on social media and has She actively helped them sell tickets andBest Groomed Trailsworked closely with other club officers attended the event that night, helpingBarnard Mountain Viewers to apply for grant-in-aid projects to get as needed and ensuring if they had anythe clubs trails back up to what they questions, she was there to assist them.Last year, this club purchased a Prinothonce were in terms of width and trail She has taken on leadership roles in thegrooming machine, and the club hastread quality. The club has also worked Northeast Kingdom with a club. She isfound this machine to be the best forto reopen approximately 10 miles of trail the clubs event coordinator, has filled intheir terrain. With a team of six dedicatedthat had been closed for a few years and as vice president for a short time whengrooming operators, they groom 50 milescontinued to advocate for one of VASTs there was a gap, and holds the officerof trail several times a week on a regulariconic bridges. The club communication position of secretary. She is one of thosebasis during the season. With a higheris great, and there is a lot of enthusiasm people that you reach out to when youelevation of trails, this club receivedamongst the old and new officers now want to get things done. Her ambition,many new riders to their area this year,that there is someone new leading the energy, organization, and commitment tocoming from southern Vermont and evencharge and taking on some of the burden our sport is outstanding. New Hampshire. This club was able toit takes to manage a club.groom through the end of March this Early Winter 2024 | 21'