It won’t be long now, we’ve seen a few snowflakes flying around here in Rangeley already!

Easy Bucks winners at the October meeting were Tim Lyons of Rangeley, and Tom White of Delaware.  Congratulations!

The November membership meeting will be held on November 13^th – social hour at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6:30 PM, meeting to follow.  Meeting will be held at the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsman’s Clubhouse in Oquossoc.

The RLSC wishes to thank the members who spent their weekends at the two snowmobile shows (Augusta, Maine and Springfield, Mass).  It is important that the club attend these shows and promote snowmobiling in the Rangeley area.  Those who manned our booths were:  Don and Patti Hayes, Brian and Kathleen Kelley, Clark Allen, Gail Gavigan, and Tim Lyons.  Again, many thanks!!!

Also, thanks to Don Dumont and Don and Patti Hayes – they sat at the IGA in Rangeley Columbus Day weekend and sold approximately $700 worth of raffle tickets for the Polaris we are raffling off during Snodeo weekend. 

The groomer barn is up – not finished, but the structure is all framed up, the roof trusses are on and the lumber has been delivered to finish the project.  Thanks to everyone who has donated money and their labor to build the barn.  Donations have not come in as we expected, we had to “borrow” from the club’s general fund so it’s important to send in a donation if you possibly can.  The club’s money is used for grooming and maintaining the trails.  We are confident that we will be returning the funds to the club account.  If each member sent in a donation of  $50 we would be in great shape!   We do have ongoing fundraisers for the building fund account too.  Have you looked at the vests and pins on the web page?  They are very nice and would make great Christmas gifts.  These are two items we are selling to raise money for the building fund.  A list of donors, both money and labor, will be included in a future newsletter after the barn is finished.

Great news!  Monika Taylor, who many of you know from the Red Onion Restaurant, has purchased the People’s Choice Restaurant.   Monika has always been very supportive of the snowmobile club and we will do all we can to help her out in her new business.  Snodeo will be headquartered at what was formerly known as “People’s Choice”.  This is a great location for this event, as you all know.  We are meeting with the staff from the Rangeley Inn to work out the details for the Chili/Chowder cook-off and Casino Night which will be held on January 20^th.  A full Snodeo agenda will be enclosed with the December newsletter. 

Snodeo promises to be bigger and better than ever this year.  Many of the events will be geared toward “family fun and entertainment”.  The Rangeley Lakes Sesquicentennial Committee is assisting the Snodeo Committee in organizing Snodeo.  They have manpower and funds to help enhance the event.  Let’s hope Mother Nature doesn’t blow in with sub-zero temps like last year.  Something to think about – we are planning to have a contest for decorated snowmobiles in the parade on Saturday evening.  Trophies will be awarded for the top three decorated snowmobiles.  We are also inviting floats to enter the parade.  I think this will be a spectacular event. 

On Friday, January 21^st, (during Snodeo weekend), the Catholic Women’s Club, in affiliation with the RLSC, is hosting a full course turkey dinner at the Masonic Hall on Richardson Ave. in Rangeley.  Your participation in attending the dinner will benefit the club. For every person attending the dinner, the club nets $2.  There will be two seatings, one at 5 PM and one at 7 PM.  The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12 yrs.   Tickets can be reserved by calling Sandi Dumont at 207-864-2775 or e-mail at ccsandi@exploremaine.com.  There will only be 100 seats per sitting so please reserve early.

Believe it or not, it’s time to start getting into the Christmas spirit.  The Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club Christmas Party will be held on December 11^th at the Saddleback Motor Inn.  With this newsletter you will find an invitation and a form to send in to reserve a seat for dinner.  We ask each person attending to bring a toy or a non-perishable food item to donate to the Giving Tree in Rangeley.   These items are distributed to needy families and their children to make their Christmas merrier! Get your reservation in early as seating for dinner is limited.  You will also find ten tickets for the annual 50/50 drawing which will be held that evening.  This drawing has always netted the winner between $500 and $700.  It’s worth taking a chance and the proceeds from this fundraiser are spent directly on grooming and maintaining the trails for your riding enjoyment.   You do not need to be present to win, just fill out the back of the ticket with your name, address and phone number and mail them to the club with your check.  Tickets are $1 each.

 Clark  Allen and Gail Gavigan attended the October Director’s meeting of the Maine  Snowmobile Association.  At this meeting, awards were given for “Landowners of the Year”.   This nomination can be made by any club member.  Just visit the MSA website and you will find the form for this award along with other awards you can use to nominate people.  It’s important to recognize people for letting us use their property.  Without their cooperation, we would have no trail system.  Every bit of our trail system is on someone’s property and we must obtain written permission from all landowners to use their property.   It is also important that we respect the landowners and  take care not to be destructive or leave litter  behind. 

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!!!

Until next month..........

Gail Gavigan, Secretary

 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!