Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club PRESIDENT S MESSAGE

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club PRESIDENT S MESSAGE"

Curtis Walton
6 years ago
Views:

Spring 2011 Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: ATV Poker Run May 7th Summer Fishing Derby August 12th 14th Our new Trail Brusher is Paid-in- Full thanks to your

Have you seen our website visit www.missinglinksc.ca for club news and events Like us on Facebook to get the latest event and trail information Got a fun picture from club events?

ca INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PRESIDENT S MESSAGE 1 THE TRAILS REPORT 2 2010 VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION OPEN SESAME POKER RUN FAMILY FUN & FISH 5 NEW CONSTRUCTION ADDS EXCITEMENT BOW-TIE POKER RUN & SILENT

1 Spring 2011 Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: ATV Poker Run May 7th Summer Fishing Derby August 12th 14th Our new Trail Brusher is Paid-in- Full thanks to your support Missing Link has been nominated for OFSC Club of the Year A Slow Pitch tournament is being considered by Heather McKechnie contact her for further details and/or if you have suggestions. Have you seen our website visit for club news and events Like us on Facebook to get the latest event and trail information Got a fun picture from club events? Please forward it to dowser@morningmistresort.ca INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PRESIDENT S MESSAGE 1 THE TRAILS REPORT VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION OPEN SESAME POKER RUN FAMILY FUN & FISH 5 NEW CONSTRUCTION ADDS EXCITEMENT BOW-TIE POKER RUN & SILENT AUCTION PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Welcome to the Spring edition of The Link. WOW! What a year we had! Ever since I joined this Club in the year 2000, I have always been very proud to be associated with such a fine group of people who produce amazing results from their combined efforts. This year was the pinnacle of a long concentrated effort to make our trails consistently the best anywhere. This was no accident! The money and effort we put forth installing culverts, building bridges, rerouting trail sections, filling in and draining wet areas, reducing pipeline berms and widening corners means we are able to get the groomers on our trails with much less snow cover than previously possible. A significant increase in grooming hours and the adherence to a well thought out grooming schedule provided the result of consistently excellent trails. A side benefit was that our groomer operators were able to spend more time just grooming and less time repairing large moguls and beat up corners. At a recent District 6 meeting, the District VIA coordinator suggested the Missing Link Club should put their name forth for nomination as the OFSC Club of the Year. This suggestion was brought back to a Club meeting and the decision was made to give it a try. The nomination criteria were divided among the Club members and the accumulated articles and photos were wordsmithed, edited, massaged, photo shopped, and compiled into a final submission that would make any Club member proud. My heartfelt thanks goes out to all members who participated in this exercise. Jim Gibson Our fundraising events were better than ever with the result that we set a Club record for money raised. We also participated in a snowmobile first. The Timberline Club in Pembroke hosted the very first Snowmobile Ride for Dad fight against prostate cancer and we were there with the second highest non-corporate donation to the cause. We capped the year off with a very successful appreciation dinner at the Mattawa Golf n Ski facility that was attended by 60 landowners and Club volunteers. VIA awards were distributed to the deserving recipients and we had some fun with a few skits and gag presentations that made the evening very enjoyable for everyone. Many thanks to all our volunteers and landowners who helped make this another very successful year in the saga of the Missing Link Snowmobile Club. Enjoy reading the rest of the Link. Jim 2011 APPRECIATION 7 CLUB EXECUTIVE & VOLUNTEERS COMING EVENTS Riders supported the Missing Link Snowmobile Club when purchasing their trail permits this past season. Thank you to our permit vendors for supporting the club once again, and to all the snowmobilers who checked off Missing Link as their club of choice!

This year the Club achieved the culmination of a $ 65,000 three year effort to improve the condition of the RAP section and other Club trails by widening the trails, installing culverts, filling in

2 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 THE TRAILS REPORT The Missing Link Snowmobile Club maintains a total of 157 kms of trail. 57 kms of that is the main A trail through our territory and is a vital part of the RAP tour and the remaining 100 km comprises six Club trails. This year the Club achieved the culmination of a $ 65,000 three year effort to improve the condition of the RAP section and other Club trails by widening the trails, installing culverts, filling in swampy areas, removing pipeline berms, and eliminating sharp corners. Additionally, after spending $34,000 of grant and Club funds in a major brushing and widening effort on the A trail over the previous two years, the Club this year purchased a $17,400 Norarc brushing machine entirely with Club funds. This purchase ensures the money spent on major brushing is not wasted by having the brush grow back again. We completed maintenance brushing on our entire trail system this year in five short days. The New Brusher The investment in our trail system is clearly showing proven results. On January 6 th of this year, the Missing Link trail system was the only Club South of Timmins with all trails fully open. We were quite proud of our little patch of green on the OFSC interactive trail map amongst a sea of red and yellow. We were also the last Club South of North Bay with green on the map on March 21 st. This year we also rerouted a 0.3 km section of the A trail from a narrow, rocky section with a steep icy hill through the bush out on to a private land section of the TransCanada pipeline after successful negotiation with the landowner. This new reroute was much easier to groom and much safer for riders. On a final note, the Club added to their outhouse facilities by purchasing another portable outhouse this year to provide service at the west end of our trail system. This year, more than any other year, the rider comments received by Richard and Leanne Yates were that the Missing Link trail system was by far the best conditioned of the whole RAP tour. Our grooming hours this year increased substantially from 569 in 2009, 566 in 2010 to 839 in The number of trips with the groomers increased to 137 from 87 in 2009 and 84 in This resulted in all our trails being in consistently good to excellent condition the whole season. TRAIL Double Passes "A" East 32 "A" West BC - DR 27 "A" West S - BC Rat Lake Wilderness Menet Lake Waterloo Francoeur Ashport Mackey Creek Road Stonecliffe Bypass 16 Congratulations to David Balla-Boudreau our newest grooming operator in David earned his tracks early in the season and volunteered over 60 hours grooming our trails this year. David joined the following groomer operators in keeping our trails smooth thru the season: Andy Boissonneault Brent Allen Jim Gibson Robert Gervais Doug Antler Wayne Clouthier Jim Watters Richard Yates Albert Chartier Todd Dowser

Trail Patroller of the Year Award Brent Allen presents the

hours of volunteer service with the club.

left to right, are Brent Allen, Robert Gervais, Andy

3 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Volunteer Coordinator Brent Allen presents Andy Boissonnealt with the Trail Patroller of the Year Award Brent Allen presents the Family of the Year Award to John & Trudy Miller (Trudy, where are you?) Congratulations to our latest club members who achieved 150 hours of volunteer service with the club. Accepting their new Missing Link Snowmobile Club Jackets, from left to right, are Brent Allen, Robert Gervais, Andy Boissonneault, and John Miller. Bob Gervais receives Volunteer of The Year Award from Jim Gibson Jim Gibson present Brent Allen with the Rookie of The Year Award

kick off the 2011 season (formerly known as The Stake-Out Poker Run, or even The Pig- Out Poker

The difference this year was that six brave souls figured they could whip up a roast beef

After some tender loving care, two 30lb roasts were in the oven prior to heading out on the

Under the watchful eye of our Morning Mist resident Jennie Dowser, the chunks of cow simmered

quite delicious (not that there was any sampling??).

Mist folks for serving a fabulous roast beast dinner after a great day on the trails!

Apres-Trails at the Township Hall Greg Turcotte, beating the meat!

4 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 OPEN SESAME POKER RUN: JANUARY 15TH, 2011 A total of 120 sledders turned out for some excellent riding on a rather cool day during the inaugural poker run to kick off the 2011 season (formerly known as The Stake-Out Poker Run, or even The Pig- Out Poker Run for a couple of years). The difference this year was that six brave souls figured they could whip up a roast beef dinner for 100+ people how hard could it be? Not that hard really! After some tender loving care, two 30lb roasts were in the oven prior to heading out on the poker run. Under the watchful eye of our Morning Mist resident Jennie Dowser, the chunks of cow simmered away for hours and when all returned from the poker run, they were falling apart and tasting quite delicious (not that there was any sampling??). Thanks to the Millers, Antlers (with adequate Turcotte supervision), as well as the Morning Mist folks for serving a fabulous roast beast dinner after a great day on the trails! Oh yes, and thank goodness for self-cleaning ovens! Apres-Trails at the Township Hall Greg Turcotte, beating the meat! (and that s all we are going to say about that) Thanks to Bob Wilson of the White Owl Camp for hosting a check point. Anything can happen with a little suds and hot water!. AND THE WINNERS ARE. Thanks to all the volunteers and riders for making this event our most successful January Poker Run ever! (Jim Gibson) 50/50 Draw: Dan Bunz $245 1st Prize: Sean Pulley $500 2nd Prize: Rod Zwierschke $250 3rd Prize: Patty Clouthier $150

The 35 people who attended this year ranged in age from 3 to 83! This is not a fundraiser, although the contents of our donation jar always seem to cover the cost of the event.

We drill the fishing holes and supply minnows and tip-ups. We organize a number of games and we roast hot dogs and provide hot and cold beverages.

Brent Allen has command of the open-pit BBQ operation Our shuttle operator, Bob Gervais, complete with flashing light, horn, and straw bale seats A friendly game of tug-o-war.

dedicated volunteers together for some handy carpentry work. It was decided that a new café was needed to satisfy the high demand of Beaver Tails and Coffee on the trails.

5 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 FAMILY FUN & FISH: FEBRUARY 20TH, 2011 Each year we choose a different lake to travel to for sledding, ice fishing, campfire lunch, and games. A change of venue took us to Scope Lake this year for our annual family outing. Apparently there is fish in that lake, though some would beg to differ! The 35 people who attended this year ranged in age from 3 to 83! This is not a fundraiser, although the contents of our donation jar always seem to cover the cost of the event. For those who don t have sleds, we provide a shuttle service from the closest staging area to the lake. Non-sledders are encouraged to try-a-ride with any of the many volunteers. We drill the fishing holes and supply minnows and tip-ups. We organize a number of games and we roast hot dogs and provide hot and cold beverages. This event is geared towards the family resulting in plenty of great memories every year. Thanks to Brent Allen for coordinating this year s event once again. Brent Allen has command of the open-pit BBQ operation Our shuttle operator, Bob Gervais, complete with flashing light, horn, and straw bale seats A friendly game of tug-o-war. Jim Gibson congratulates our 50/50 draw winner Judi Lambert NEW CONSTRUCTION BRINGS EXCITEMENT TO MISSING LINK The chance to use brand new building materials was all it took to bring a group of dedicated volunteers together for some handy carpentry work. It was decided that a new café was needed to satisfy the high demand of Beaver Tails and Coffee on the trails. In the spirit of the Club, it was up to the Deux Rivieres crew to name the new hospitality building. They came up with The Pink Panther. The beginning stages of the Pink Panther was a stressful time. When the lumber arrived at Mr. Holmes residence, the driver became disoriented because of an animal on the road and he missed the driveway and ended up spinning some tires. It was even more stressful when some of the individuals standing around refused to help because they required compensation for their efforts. In the end, Mr. Holmes directed a crew to safely return the vehicle to the safety of asphalt. Why the Pink colour you may ask? I will encourage you to send a variety of s to our beloved executive to field that one! A special thanks to everyone who worked hard to bring this project to life even though some were just there for the free pizza lunch and to offer suggestions when things went awry. Special kudos to Brent for the top-notch decor on the café! With all that behind them, the crew set out to build the most comfortable café ever. The sound of hammers pounding, saws sawing, and people swearing was all that you could hear when it was proclaimed that there were some issues with the measurements. The second attempt went very well and by the end of the day the Pink Panther stood there intact with a variety of individuals with smiles on their faces. The new Pink Panther Café, where Beaver Brent has been known to give Grizzly Gord some healthy competition.

rain, but rather turned into 30 cm of snow the morning of the event.

Thanks also to John & Trudy Miller who single-handedly prepared and served a delicious

Although the new snow made the trails a little bumpy by the end of the day, it was

and has grown into our largest annual fundraiser.

the $1000 1st Prize to Doug Pinard Our trophy winners, in order: 2nd Prize: Michael

6 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 14TH ANNUAL BOW-TIE CLASSIC & SILENT AUCTION: MARCH 5TH, 2011 Attendance was down this year as the weather forecast for the weekend suggested rain, but rather turned into 30 cm of snow the morning of the event. We still had 119 sledders on the 120 km Poker Run and 103 people signed up for bidder numbers at the Silent Auction. responded to Richard s persistent requests for donations and prizes over the years. Thanks also to John & Trudy Miller who single-handedly prepared and served a delicious pasta dinner for all of the riders back at the township hall. Although the new snow made the trails a little bumpy by the end of the day, it was great to see the new white stuff which extended our riding season by a couple more weeks. This event has been coordinated by Richard & Leanne Yates since it began 14 years ago and has grown into our largest annual fundraiser. If it were not for the success of this event, a large portion of our trail improvements would not have been possible. A special thanks to all of the individuals and businesses who have Doug Antler presents the $1000 1st Prize to Doug Pinard Our trophy winners, in order: 2nd Prize: Michael Graham 3rd Prize: Nancy Graham 1st Prize: Doug Pinard.our largest annual fundraiser 50/50 Winner Mike Mulrooney A new paint job on Grizzle Gord s Café, thanks to Mac Holmes? Grizzly Gord s checkpoint volunteer Jim Gibson with Sandy Antler Thanks to Mac & Eunice for our checkpoint at the Five Star camp...and this is how the day began! Where else would you wear your bow-tie? Vanna! We Want Vanna?

Club. This year s event was held at the Mattawa Golf n Ski Resort.

Volunteer awards were presented following dinner, along with Landowner prizes and additional draws for door prizes.

7 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 IN APPRECIATION: APRIL 16TH, 2011 Our final event of the year is a catered Appreciation Dinner for the landowners and volunteers. The sole purpose is to show our appreciation toward our landowners for allowing us to use their land for our trails and to recognize our volunteers who have worked so hard all year on behalf of the Club. This year s event was held at the Mattawa Golf n Ski Resort. Attendees were treated to their choice of roast beef dinner or half roast chicken, and there was not a hungry person to be found after 8:00 PM. Volunteer awards were presented following dinner, along with Landowner prizes and additional draws for door prizes. Most notable every year is the acknowledgement of the season s most memorable events. This year s recognized individuals include: Mac & Eunice Holmes for hosting the new café construction (and keeping the peace in the process) Brent Allen for his winter driving prowess Albert Chartier for Failure to Act, and many other incidents written in his file over the years Andy Boissonneault for spearheading the new brusher acquisition, and keeping his cool with a transport float-bed stuck at the end of his driveway David Balla-Boudreau and Morning Mist Resort for sacrificing various tools in search of the greater cause It is believed all attendees made it home without incident, despite noted concerns regarding Osama Bin Laden holed-up in a cave near Bissett Creek. David Balla-Boudreau receives the award for Rookie of the Year (2011) Brent Allen receives the award for Volunteer of the Year (2011) Jennie Dowser accepts a gift basket for Family of the Year Award (2011) (Dowser Family) AND NOW, WITH GUIDANCE FROM REV. JOHN MILLER, LET US PRAY... Twas a few days before Christmas and here was the rub, A brusher had been ordered by the Missing Link Club. Andy was sitting by his window in fear That our new brusher would never get here. When out by the highway there arose such a clatter That Andy dashed out to see what was the matter. There was our brusher, all shiny and new. But the wheels that weren t spinning, on the float, were few. The tri-axle lowboy was certainly stuck, And Andy was heard saying gosh darn our luck Doug came along and Wayne and Jim too. It was quite a sight, this motley old crew. Andy said boys this soon will be over. I ll just go and get my little bulldozer. He tugged and he pulled with all his might, But the road was too slippery, his tracks couldn t bite. We were up the creek when who should appear, Why it was Tommy timberjack with his great big John Deere Tommy said don t worry lads, it ll all be fine. We ll just pull er out an inch at a time. So inch by inch it came through Andy s gate. Too bad the highway travelers just had to wait. Across the highway, this circus went. Geez, If it takes any longer, it ll soon be Lent. In the midst of all this, Jim got a call. Your groomer s on its way, that s it, that s all. The groomer arrived and was unloaded just fine, The brusher was off, we should break out the wine! Andy pulled the brusher home with his dozer. Everyone was quite glad this day s circus was over. The next day was exciting for the whole brusher crew, There was Andy and Robert, and Chris and Todd too Brent and brother Chris, and John and Dougie-Poo SAID Let s get er hooked up and see what she ll do! So on to the groomer the brusher was connected, But the tractor quit working, everyone was dejected. Phone calls were made and remedies sought. For a little while there, all was for naught. But The problem got fixed, the tractor ran well. And Andy was heard repeating Wait til after Xmas boys, then the brush will catch hell!

If you only have limited time or availability to assist, we don t care every hour helps!

Contact any volunteer if you would like the date and location for our next club meeting.

613-586-1900 Signage Coordinator Jim Gibson 613-586-2761 Trail Coordinator Doug Antler 705-747-0851 Response Coordinator Chris Dowser 613-586-1900 Inspection Coordinator Doug Antler 705-747-0851

8 THE LINK NEWSLETTER PAGE 8 YOUR CLUB EXECUTIVE & VOLUNTEERS The Club is always looking for new volunteers and fresh ideas. If you or a friend would like to donate some of your time to help with club activities, please feel free to contact any of our current volunteers. If you only have limited time or availability to assist, we don t care every hour helps! The Club meets regularly the first Tuesday of every month to review past experiences and plan for the coming months ahead, so come on out and see how it all gets done. Contact any volunteer if you would like the date and location for our next club meeting. COMING EVENTS President Jim Gibson Vice President Doug Antler Secretary Marlene Gibson Treasurer Todd Dowser ORS Coordinator Chris Dowser Signage Coordinator Jim Gibson Trail Coordinator Doug Antler Response Coordinator Chris Dowser Inspection Coordinator Doug Antler Volunteer Coordinator Brent Allen Permit Coordinator Todd Dowser Grooming Coordinator Doug Antler Landowner Coordinator Marlene Gibson PR Coordinator Brent Allen Trail Patrol Coordinator Vacant Trail Patrol Person Andy Boissonneault Social Coordinator Heather McKechnie ND ANNUAL ATV "GEOCACHE" POKER RUN Saturday May 7th We provide the GPS coordinates, you find the hidden treasure and trade for poker cards. Cash prizes and food available. Registration starting at 10:00AM at Morning Mist Resort, Stonecliffe. 25TH ANNUAL DEUX RIVIERES SUMMER FISHING DERBY August 12th 14th Catch the Big Kahuna and win prizes, or simply come out for the fabulous fish fry (and other goodies). Hosted at Antler s Kingfisher Lodge, Deux Rivieres. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editor and Chief Whip: Todd Dowser Thanks to our Contributing Writers: Jim Gibson Marlene Gibson Albert Chartier Brent Allen Doug Antler If you have any stories or ideas for future editions of The Link, please forward them to dowser@morningmistresort.ca

Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club PRESIDENT S MESSAGE

Fall 2016 Your Link to the Missing Link Snowmobile Club SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Our Open Sesame poker run is always the third Saturday in January and the Bow-Tie Classic is the first Saturday in March.