Well, here it is April 1^st already!  I guess it’s time to look forward to Spring and Summer activities. We had more snowy and winter-type weather the last two weeks of March than we had all winter. Unfortunately, a little late to do much good for the sport of snowmobiling. Let’s just hope Mother Nature is nicer to us next winter.  In the meantime, we have lots of things to work on.

Our March Membership meeting was the biggest meeting we have had this year. We served over 100 people with lobster and steak, a great turnout! Thanks so much to Daphne Scribner, Charlie Brown, and Alan and Linda Whitford. They did an outstanding job preparing and serving the food. Also, thanks to new club members, Bob and Debra Nicoll from Byfield, Massachusetts. They were visiting the Whitfords for the weekend and worked right along with Alan and Linda preparing the food, cooking, and serving at the meeting.  Your help is appreciated! 

At the March meeting (and several previous meetings and club functions this year), Larry Koob, our masterful 50/50 ticket-seller, did his usual outstanding job of selling tickets. We gave away $505 from the 50/50 raffle at this meeting and the winner, Mark Sheehy, donated the winnings back to the club to be applied to the building fund account for our new club house. Thanks Mark!!!

The membership voted to turn over all 50/50 raffle money we earned this year from all meetings, functions, etc. to the building fund for the new clubhouse.  We also voted to give every business who donates money to the Club’s trail fund a business membership.  These businesses will be listed in the MSA newspaper each month and will be listed on the MSA State Trail Map next season. Look for the MSA decal which states “Supporting Business Member” on it and spend your money there. These businesses make our program possible, without their cash donations, we would be unable to groom the trails all winter. 

Easy Bucks winners at the March meeting were Clark  Allen who was present and won $100, and Rick Waterman who was not present and won $50. Congratulations!!!

A special thank you goes out to young Joey Espinola. Joey single-handedly solicited donations for the new club house at Peoples Choice during the mini-Snodeo in February and collected $98.00. Thanks Joey!!!

The April membership meeting  will be held on  April 13^th at the Congregational Church Hall on the Corner of Pleasant and High Streets in Rangeley. Leslie Ferguson will be preparing a ham dinner for the meeting.  Social hour at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6:30 PM, meeting following dinner. Hope to see you there!! 

Clark Allen, Vince Banaitis and club secretary will attend the annual MSA Board of  Directors meeting on April 20^th in Presque Isle, Maine.  Hopefully we will come back with the 1^st place trophy for #1 club in the State of Maine again.  Our membership right now stands at 323 members. 

Enclosed with this newsletter you will find a tentative floor plan for the new club house.  If anyone has any suggestions, please let us know – we are open for any suggestions. We have sent this floor plan out to building suppliers for estimates for building materials. We will be looking for help on this project in any  and every way.  Please e-mail us or write to us with any suggestions or help – ideas, etc. for the building design, fund raising, etc.  Remember, this is your clubhouse and everyone will benefit greatly from it.  We are currently entertaining the thought of having a full foundation (cellar) under the kitchen end of the building and putting the function room area on a concrete slab. 

Clark is also in the process of ironing out the paperwork with the town to erect the groomer barn. The town is allowing us to build the barn on town property at Chick Hill. 

Something to keep in mind – May is nomination month for election of Board of Directors and Officers for next year.   If you would like to serve on the nominating committee, please let us know.

We have received many, many compliments on the conditions of our trail system this year.  Our groomer drivers and trailmasters certainly deserve a round of applause for their efforts.  This has been a very difficult year to maintain the trails with the mild weather we have had.  District 1 Trailmaster is Mike Ferguson of Rev-It-Up and his driver is Matt Holbrook;  District 2 Trailmaster is Tim Lyons and Clark Allen and drivers are Matt Kennedy and Frank Cushman;  District 3 Trailmaster is Larry Koob and drivers are Jim Sopel, Ken Lemke, Lloyd Cushman and Jamie Hobbs.  Thanks guys!!!!  You did an excellent job, as usual. 

Until next month…………..

Please visit our Sponsors page to check out businesses who have donated or pledged to donate to our grooming and trail maintenance program for this season. Be sure to patronize these businesses when in the area. It is due to their donations that we have the great riding conditions we all enjoy!