1 RICE LAKE SNOWDRIFTERS NEWSLETTER 2017 Dear Friends, We are looking forward to this coming season. After the rainy summer we are hopeful that the same amount of precipitation will fall as snow this winter. Our trails are being prepared for this so that we can get on the trails as fast as we can. Our club was honored this year at the OFSC s Annual General Meeting with the distinction of Club of the Year. What a tremendous honor this is. They recognized that our club does its best to attract new riders and engage the current ones. We enhance our trails and seek funding to complete projects such as the Trans Canada Trail into Peterborough, the staging areas we have constructed and the refurbishing of the Trent River Bridge. We continuously work with other snowmobile groups and support local businesses. They recognized that we had an Inside This Edition: Message 1 Permits 2 Upcoming Events...3 Reasons to Buy Where You Ride,,,,,,4 Landowners and Trail Info 5, 6 Volunteers Needed...7 OFSC is 50, Contact Info 8 Our Big Night 9, 10 active volunteer base and are transparent with information about when our meetings are and provide information to our ridership via email, our website and an annual newsletter. We were reported to take our Driver Training to a new level by offering a one day workshop for new riders. Also we are so pleased to announce that our little club had five awards given to members of our club at the District Level. Congratulations Chris McIntyre Volunteer of the Year, Donna Atkinson - Promotions, Glen Atkinson Ambassador on the Snow, Family of the Year - the Kelly family and of course Club of the Year at District level. Even more exciting is our club was awarded a new groomer. This should make our trails even more amazing. At Thanksgiving we give thanks for our wonderful area which is beautiful to enjoy during the winter. We also give thanks for our great landowners who allow us access to their property. We also thank our ridership who support us each year by purchasing a trail pass and our efforts to bring you the best snowmobiling experience we can. Lastly, we are thankful for our volunteers who work hard each year to maintain the trails. This work begins now to ensure proper signage and brushing has been done prior to the snow beginning. We invite you to assist us if you can. Permits are now on sale online at the early bird price so purchasing your permit now will save you money. Our annual Elimination Draw is Saturday, November 4th at Elmhirst Resort. Get your ticket from any Board of Director. Great prizes, dinner and friendly competition always occur on this night. Also visit us at Sledarama this year. We always look forward to talking with you. Very soon winter will be upon us and we are confident we will see you on the trails. Sincerely, Kevin English President
2 Board of Directors: President/Groomer Coordinator: Kevin English - 705-639-2009 Vice President/Sign Coordinator/Online Reporting System Nathan Jackson - 705-872-1353 or davnaja@gmail.com Treasurer: Doug Luff - 705-295-4321 Secretary: Sherri Luff 705-295-4321 Volunteer Coordinator: Mary Martin 705-696-3005 Permit Coordinator: Michelle Atkinson 705-295-4833 Driver Trainer: Rachel Stillman 705-931-1916 Director Executive Committee Julie English 705-639-2009 Directors: Donna Atkinson, Mary Ellis, Elwood Ellis. Shelley and Aaron Palmer PERMITS ON SALE NOW at www.ofsc.on.ca to get your permit for the reduced price of $190 for a seasonal permit and $150 for a classic permit (1999 and older) + $7.50 processing fee. Credit Card purchase only. Offer available from October 1 st October 31 st REMEMBER TO CHOOSE RICE LAKE SNOW DRIFTERS AS THE CLUB WHERE YOU WANT YOUR PERMIT DOLLARS USED TO IMPROVE, MAINTAIN AND GROOM TRAILS! NOVEMBER 1 ST TO NOVEMBER 30 TH Seasonal permits will be available online only. PRICE INCREASES TO $220 FOR A SEASONAL PERMIT. CLASSIC IS STILL $150 After December 1 st Seasonal permits increase to $270 and a classic permit will be $190and are - available online Special Event Permit - $35.00. The Special Event Permit is used only for club sanctioned events and offers access to trails during the club event only. This permit is also only available online. Replacement Permits - $10.00. If your trail permit is lost, stolen or damaged and needs to be replaced, please contact our permit coordinator, Michelle Atkinson, at 705-295-4833 If you do not have an email address and are worried about purchasing online please contact Michelle Atkinson at 705-295-4833 or visit us at our booth at Sledarama and we will help you.
3 Snowmobile Meetings - Elmhirst Resort at 7:30 pm Wild Blue Yonder - Monday, October 16 th, 30 th, November 13 th, 27 th, January 8 th, 22 nd, February 12th, 26th March 12th, 19th, April 9th, 23rd - Our annual AGM will be held on November 27 th new members are always welcome Elimination Draw - Saturday, November 4 th - Elmhirst Resort 7 pm (Social Hour 6 7 pm) - Tickets available from any Board of Director - $100 which includes dinner and a chance to win a new sled, four wheeler, snowmobile trailer or $6000-1st, 50 th, 100 th and 150 th ticket drawn wins $100-198 th ticket drawn wins $200, the 199 th ticket drawn wins $300 and of course the 200 th drawn wins their choice of prize - Lots of draw prizes available - Only 200 sold get yours now from any Board of Director - Tables of 8 can be reserved by calling Julie English at 705-639-2009 Sledarama - Sunday, November 19 th 9 am 4 pm - Morrow Building, Peterborough, Ontario Driver Training - Saturday December 16th at 9AM. - Held at Three Roads Farms at 2505 County Road 2 near Keene. - Must be 12 years of age by this date (or older) - Cost is $40 - Call Rachel at 705-931-1916
4 WE ARE HOPING SOME OF YOU MIGHT DONATE PRIZES FOR OUR RAFFLE THAT WE HAVE AT OUR ELIMINATION DRAW. IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. FREE ADVERTISING ON OUR WEBSITE AND AT OUR ELIMINATION DRAW TOO. "BUY WHERE YOU RIDE" and support your local club. No matter how you buy your trail permit this year it is very important that you indicate Rice Lake Snow Drifters (K0L 2G0) as your club. If you do not indicate what club you support, the money will go elsewhere. A portion of your dollars that you spend on a trail permit comes back to our club so we can: 1. Prepare trails (signage, maintenance like bridge repairs, brushing back of trails, bulldozer work etc.) 2. Perform maintenance on our groomers 3. Pay our groomers to groom the trail 4. Pay membership fees and insurance costs to OFSC WHAT OUR NEW GROOMER WILL LOOK LIKE:
5 If you see anyone on our trails without a permit please get as much information as you can about the sled and owner and report it to a member of the Board of Directors. It is unfair to you that some snowmobilers ride and do not pay the permit price. Let s all work together to ensure everyone on our trails are supporting our trails in the appropriate manner. www.ricelakesnowdrifters.com Permit Placement & Additional Information The Trail Permit is valid only when permanently affixed to the bottom edge of the center of the windshield, or on top and to the left of centre of the engine cowling as close as possible to the centre of the windshield, without obscuring or being obscured by the registration number required to be displayed on the vehicle. OFSC Trail Permits are valid only in the province of Ontario and may be used to access any open or limited Prescribed Trails operated by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs unless otherwise specified above. PROBLEMS WITH OUR TRAILS If you discover any unsafe areas (Signs missing, trees or branches down, water areas, holes, damage to bridges etc.) on our trails please contact any member of the Board of Directors Immediately so it can be attended to.
6 The Rice Lake Snow Drifters are very thankful to the many private landowners who allow us to use their land to support our trail network. They are incredibly important to the success of our club. Without their support our club would not exist. Please respect landowner property by: Staying on the trail Leaving signs and stakes intact Leaving gates and fences alone Respecting the equipment and property that you may pass by Avoiding farm animals and pets Using the trail for snowmobiling only (Four wheeling is not allowed on our trails) Using trails only when they are open (Check our website for details) WE ARE DEPENDING ON YOU TO KEEP OUR TRAILS CLEAN AND SAFE! We are asking your support to help us maintain our trails in their current condition. If you see anyone with four-wheelers, dirt bikes, cars, trucks, and horse-drawn carts on them please report this to the OPP. This is trespassing and signs on the trail clearly state these types of vehicles are not allowed. We want to ensure that we continue to have these trails available. Landowners have been kind enough to allow snowmobile access but they do not want any other vehicles travelling the trails unless they have given permission. We also have a zero tolerance policy for driving while over the limit of alcohol consumption and travelling with excessive speed. Our maximum speed on the trail is. Dangerous driving should be reported to the OPP. TO MAXAMIZE YOUR ENJOYMENT: STAY IN CONTROL OF YOUR SLED. WATCH YOUR SPEED. TAKE THE TIME TO ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL AREA. DON T DRINK AND DRIVE. EVERYONE DESERVES TO RIDE ON A SAFE TRAIL AT ALL TIMES!
7 Nobody can do everything, But everyone can do something! The Rice Lake Snowdrifters need your help. We are sure many of you have skills that we could use to make our club as successful as it can be. Can you spare some time? Please come to one of our meetings held the second and fourth Monday of each month at Elmhirst Resort beginning at 7:30 pm. You can also contact any Board of Director if you can lend us a hand. Please note that the current Board of Directors term is coming to an end next year. WE NEED FRESH VOLUNTEERS WITH NEW IDEAS TO CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK THAT IS BEING DONE. PLEASE CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER OF A GREAT TEAM!! Communication to other members Permits Snowmobile Show on November 23 rd Trail Patrol Gathering Prizes for Events Or just giving us your ideas or opinions Some possible jobs include: Trail Work Projects Poker Run Driver Training Advertising Putting in signs
8 Did you know that the OFSC is 50 Years old this year. 1967 was when organized snowmobiling came to Ontario. Anyone remember riding one of these. STAY SAFE AND ENJOY THE SEASON!! CONTACT US AT 705-295-SNOW (7669) OR BOX 125, KEENE, ONTARIO K0L 2G0 PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO luffcdks@nexicom.net FUTURE NEWSLETTERS AND UPDATES CAN BE SENT TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT ricelakesnowdrifters.com for regular updates and information about our trails and what our club is up to
9 OUR BIG NIGHT Accepting our award Nathan Jackson, Kevin English and Remi Sauve (OFSC President)
10 Kevin with our trophy Nathan Jackson, Julie English, Kevin English, Sherri Luff, Doug Luff