b'Annual Meetingof the project from $5060k to around $20k.It was Brandons leadership that pulled it all together. It takes a team, but it also takes someone willing to step up and lead. That is exactly what he did. Project of the Year:Drift DustersThis years Trail Project of the Year Award goes to a club that faced extraordinary challenges and rose to meet them with determination,Award of Excellence:leadership, and teamwork. This clubCarol (Sam) Gorhammaintains approximately 74 miles of trail. In July, a section of that trail wasOur next award recipient embodies devastated by flash flooding for thethe heart and soul of Vermonts second year in a row. This was not justSnowmobile Club of the Year: snowmobiling community. His a recreational trail, it also served asSno-Bees Snowmobile Club snowmobiling journey began in 1963, the only road access for several campriding down a mountain with his owners, many of whom were leftThe recipient of this years Club ofwife on their Polaris Snow Traveler, stranded. the Year Award has been a pillar inusing their feet as brakes. Fast forward The damage was severe. Two bridges,Vermonts snowmobiling communitymore than six decades, and at 87 years both rebuilt just a year prior, weresince its founding in 1967, shortly afteryoung, he is still an active rider and heavily damaged and had to beVAST was formed. Starting with justindispensable member of his club.removed and reset again. In some25 members and a few 12-horsepowerHe checks the groomer storage site places, the trail had been washed outmachines, the club quickly grew intodaily, paints grade stakes each fall, and over 20 feet wide, exposing bedrock.a well-organized, forward-thinkingsigns his designated section of trail, In others, erosion had carved out deepgroup committed to building strongthen returns in the spring to remove gullies up to 15 feet down. landowner partnerships, enhancingthem. He helps other members with The road to recovery was not simple.trail infrastructure, and growing thetheir trail signage. He is a fixture at Multiple site visits, landownersport. every club meeting and attends VASTs conversations, and contractor meetingsTheir community roots show throughannual meetings, always participating took place before a plan could befundraising efforts, including supportand contributing.finalized. Leading the charge wasfor the Barre Fire Departments rescue Brandon Phillips, a dedicated anddivision, an annual dinner raffle, and respected leader within the club.popular Calcutta and memorial ride-Brandon took full ownership ofin events, including last years ride this project, coordinating logistics,honoring a local 99-year-old WWII managing communication, andveteran.pushing the effort forward every stepWith excellent landowner relations, of the way. a trail sponsor program of over Once the green light was given and50 businesses, and support for equipment was mobilized, the realneighboring clubs, this club work began. In just two weeks, thedemonstrates the sportsmanship, trail was repaired and passable again.positivity, and youth involvement that That is a remarkable turnarounddefine VAST excellence.considering the scale of damage. This effort would not have been possibleAward of Excellence: Jim Hillwithout support from local businesses, the generosity of landowners, theOur next honorees record of service determination of volunteers, andto VAST is extraordinary. He served as funding from VAST. The club obtainedVAST President from 20072009, and financial donations, reducing the costover the years has held nearly every 18 | Snowmobile Vermont'