COVER STORY
Belvidere Prairie Riders
Snowmobile Club’s Grass
Drags & Power Sports Meet
illinois IASC SNOWMOBILER
IASC Executive Board
President Kai Steward
1st Vice President Kaite Polhill
2nd Vice President Don Schaefer
3rd Vice President Jessica Dicker
Treasurer Carol Bly-Julian
Secretary Jennifer Baumgartner
of
Illinois Snowmobiler is published by:
1700 East Golf Rd., Suite 550 D Schaumburg, Illinois 60173
Send Copy To production@ilsnowmobiler.com
Sales Dino Thanos 630-894-0934 ext. 229 dino@ilsnowmobiler.com
Publisher Dino Thanos
Managing Editor Danielle Christoffel
Art Directors Danielle Christoffel & Ray Toppel
Advertising Sales Dino Thanos & Meghan Naylor
Illinois Snowmobiler is published six times per yearOctober, November, December, January, February, and March - by KDR Productions, 1700 East Golf Rd., Suite 550 D, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. It is the official publication of the Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs.
Subscriptions: Yearly subscriptions are a benefit of IASC membership - Individual Associate $25; Business Associate $35; Clubs $35, plus $11 per family club member. To join, contact the IASC office at 815-210-0587 or send check to:
IASC Office PO Box 8171 Elburn, IL 60119
Contributions: We welcome unsolicited materials and letters for possible publication. Letters, manuscripts, stories, materials, and photographs cannot be returned unless sender provides a self-addressed stamped envelope. Illinois Snowmobiler and KDR Productions accept no responsibility for returns, losses, or damage of unsolicited materials. Letters to the editor must be signed with address and telephone number of the sender. Submission of articles and letters implies the right to edit and publish in all or part.
Illinois Snowmobiler Magazine is the official publication of the Illinois Association of Snowmobiler Clubs (IASC). The opinions and attitudes expressed by the publisher do not necessarily reflect the opinions and attitudes of the IASC and are not intended as a statement from IASC, but rather as a statement from the publisher.
©Copyright 2024: All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher.
PRESIDENT’S DESK
Reflecting on my first year as President one word comes to mind: change. The biggest changes being Jane’s retirement, the closing of our physical office, and the magazine moving to an online format.
While we are still working out some of the bugs, the transition has been smooth overall thanks to the board and committee chairs that have taken on even more responsibilities. Thank you all for making these transitions and for all you do.
We’ve been receiving some feedback on the magazine and we’d like to get more. We will be sending out a survey about the magazine to see what you all like and dislike about the new format, changes you would like to see, etc. This is your chance to let us know how you feel. Please fill out the survey when you receive it.
Based on feedback, one of the major changes that will happen at the annual meeting is the changing of the board structure. We will no longer have three vice-presidents. In the past, stepping up and being on board possibly felt like a life sentence. Starting at 3rd VP and working your way through the board until becoming President. A person was potentially on the board for 9 years before becoming President. With our new structure, we will still have the President, Treasurer, Secretary and 1 Vice President. We will also have a 5th board member that is the member at large. This takes the lineage to President from a possible 9 years to 3 years. Our hope is that more of you reading this today will want to step up and be on the board representing your club, region and the IASC. If you are interested in being on the board, we are nominated and voted in each year at the convention.
Did you know we kept the office phone number of 815-210-0587 and one of the board members has that phone. Keep in mind we all have full-time jobs, so leave a message and we will get back to you.
There is still time to sign up and come to the 52nd Annual IASC Convention on November 9th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Rockford. I hope you all make the time to come talk snowmobiling, partake in the annual meeting, and learn something from our seminars and speakers we have lined up this year.
See you at the convention!
Kai Steward
Holiday Gift Guide
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TOBE NECTO BOOT
Priced affordably, it excels in practicality and warmth. The durable rubber outsole is designed to withstand rigorous conditions, providing excellent traction and longevity. As with all of our boots, the Necto must pass a rigorous 14-hour waterproofing test.
Available at Rt. 12 Arctic Cat, 1320 East Rand Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60004, www.route12arcticcat.com
A NOTE FROM THE TREASURER
Carol Bly-Julian
Because all our clubs, as well as the IASC, are organized as notfor-profit corporations in Illinois, you may have heard about a new requirement for businesses to complete the Beneficial Owner Information reporting. This is a new requirement to report the ownership information of your business by completing a form on the FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) website. There is a list of businesses that are exempt from this report and tax-exempt entities are one of them. You should review your club’s status with the IRS to verify you are recognized as a not-for-profit corporation to substantiate your exemption. You can do this on the IRS website irs.gov and do a tax-exempt organization search.
While you are reviewing that, you may want to check the Illinois Secretary of States website to see if your club is in good standing. To qualify for grant reimbursement, your club must be in good standing with the Secretary of State. You can verify your club’s standing by visiting their website at www.ilsos.gov and do a business entity search using your club’s name. Once you get all your paperwork in order, maintaining your not-for-profit status does not take much time. It is all part of operating your club responsibly.
Well, that is enough business talk! Let us all hope for a winter filled with lots of snow!
Region Meeting Schedule:
Region 1
Director: Don Schaefer
847-917-4202 dssschaefer@msn.com
Call or Email for Information & Location
Region 2
Director: Craig Adams
815-687-2844 craigmadams@yahoo.com
First Wednesday of the Month - 7:30pm August - April
Rusty Nail Bar & Grill, Ringwood, IL
Region 3
Director: Dan Damptz
815-985-6071 dandamptz@gmail.com
Second Monday of the Month - 7:00pm July - April
Uptown Lanes / Back Alley Bar, Byron, IL
Region 4
Director: Pat Pendergast
309-335-4095 ppenderg@knox.edu
September, November & March - 7:00pm
Third Monday of the Month
Call or Email for Information & Location
Region 5
Director: Jennifer Baumgartner
815-509-9373 snowdiva18@yahoo.com
Second Wednesday of the Month - 7:00pm August - May
Red Ox Bar and Grill, Hampshire, IL
Region 6
Director: Kirk Polhill
815-275-3371 kdpwire@yahoo.com
Second Thursday of the Month - 7:30pm September - April
Bottle Shed, Stockton, IL
Region 7
Director: Dale Fritz
815-791-6375 dalefritz2@comcast.net
Call or Email for Information & Location
Region 8
Director: Chad Wissen
815-674-5072 cwissen82@hotmail.com
Call or Email for Information
Region 9
Director: Bob Atkins
309-397-6922 atkinscrew@gmail.com
Call or Email for Information & Location
Region 10 & 11
Director: Carson Hanner
217-948-5579 channerfarms@yahoo.com
Call or Email for Information & Location
EVENTS
NOVEMBER
November 3rd: McHenry County Snowmobile Association Meat Raffle
Feed the Groomer Fundraiser
Starts at 2pm, ticket sales begin at 1pm
Rusty Nail Bar & Grill 4520 Ringwood Rd. Ringwood, IL 60072 815-728-3017
November 9th: 52nd IASC Convention
See registration info in this issue
Hilton Garden Inn Rockford 7675 Walton St. Rockford, IL 61108 815-229-3322
November 23rd:
Hampshire White Riders
Meat & Cash Raffle
Starting at 7pm
Meat prizes: steaks, pork chops, hams, bacon slabs, turkeys, and over $2,300 cash
Red Ox Restaurant
129 E. Oak Knoll Dr. Hampshire, IL 60140
For more information, visit hampshirewhiteriders.com
DECEMBER
December 14th:
Howards Grove Lakeshore
Drifter Busters 2nd Annual
Vintage Snowmobile Show
Smiling Moose Saloon & Grill in Osman, WI
For more information, call 920-889-4342
JANUARY
January 5th:
Prairie Drifters Radar Run
No Ice Dates - January 19, 2025 and February 2, 2025
Lake Story, Galesburg, IL
Signup 9am and racing at 10am
Call Mike Dennis for more information 1-309-337-6494
January 25th:
Prairie Drifters
Music Trivia Night
Cedar Creek Hall, Galesburg, IL
Starts at 7pm
Call Mike Dennis for more information 1-309-337-6494
A Hampshire White Rider’s Tradition Continues
By Dwain “Duey” Stadie
There are some things that you just look forward to every year, such as Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and the Hampshire White Rider’s Hot Dog Roast/Campfire. It used to be called a bonfire, but we do not get that crazy anymore.
On Saturday, October 5th, 30 club members gathered at the home of Scott and Becky Haseman for a fun-filled evening of food, fun and camaraderie.
Please Email Us Your IASC Club Events to production@ ilsnowmobiler.com
The club dined on grilled hot dogs and beer bratwursts. There was also chili with cheese and 6 distinct kinds of peppers served on the side, so you could make your chili as wild as you wanted. We munched on nachos with cheese and jalapenos, chips, cookies, and Scott’s famous bacon-wrapped pretzel sticks. Several types of liquid refreshments were enjoyed, both leaded and unleaded.
There was a campfire going all night on the deck where smores and Jiffy Pop popcorn were prepared. Jiffy Pop is a club tradition. Stories told and plans were discussed about trips for the upcoming season.
Weather-wise, it was a beautiful evening. It’s always a relaxing, fun-filled event with friends. Just another reason to join a snowmobile club. You will have fun with your snowmobile family all year long.
A special thank you to Scott and Becky for hosting this event.
Remembering Larry Ratzlaff
Originally posted on www.lairdfamilyfuneralservices.com/obituaries/Larry-Ratzlaff?obId=33141660
On September 17, 2024, Larry Ratzlaff, of Elgin, Illinois, passed away at the age of 76. He will always be remembered as a man of uncommon ingenuity, remarkable mechanical ability, and limitless creativity.
Larry was born on January 7, 1948. On August 9, 1969, he married his beautiful wife, Jean, and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019.
Larry firmly believed that God put him on this Earth to help people. He felt that his ability to build, create, diagnose, and repair things so skillfully, and often, effortlessly, was a gift to be shared with anyone who needed his assistance. He had a remarkable knack for determining what was wrong when something broke, and he delighted in repairing things in ways that didn’t just fix them but also improved their functionality.
Larry happily took on any and all projects for his children, family, friends, and neighbors. Everyone continually sought out his expertise for their home improvement issues and automotive repairs, which he enthusiastically dove into.
He was a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, a welder, a fabricator, a mechanic, and a machinist.
And yet, he was incredibly humble about his exceptional abilities. He was an altruistic, loving man who was the first to help, day or night, when anyone was in need.
Larry loved motors and engines of nearly every size and kind. Over the years, he built numerous go-karts, tractors, and marvelous machines which his family and friends enjoyed immensely.
Larry spent almost 50 years at the same company working as a design engineer in fire protection. He has multiple patents to his name, designing many lifesaving devices with his co-workers.
Another of his passions was snowmobiling. Larry was a
member of the Elgin Cold Ducks snowmobile club for more than 45 years. In 1981, he began teaching snowmobile safety education to new riders, which he continued for over four decades. He is both Illinois’ longest-running, and oldest, safety education instructor. Larry felt that there was no better way to see the beauty of wintertime than on the back of a snowmobile. He was an avid outdoorsman who also enjoyed camping with his family all over the country.
Larry was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, enjoying everything from family bonfire and movie nights in the yard to assisting with scout and school projects in his machine shop. His grandsons continually swept the Pinewood Derby championships year after year with their perfectly-engineered cars.
Everyone who knew Larry feels the enormity of losing such a remarkable human being, loving man, and friend. It is difficult to envision navigating this world without his advice, insight and care.
Larry is survived by his children, Jill (Doug) Cataldo and Lynn (Kevin) Peto; five grandchildren: Angelica, Benjamin, and William Cataldo; and Lola and Layla Peto; his sisters, Deloris Padgett, Jeanette (Randy) Nielson, Jenelle (Terry) Wilson, and their families. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Ratzlaff, and his parents.
Memorial donations in Larry’s name may be made to the Elgin Cold Ducks snowmobile club, www.elgincoldducks.com.
Remembering George Gore
Courtesy of Brandon Norman of Channel3000.com
George Gore, age 91 of Elroy, Wisconsin passed away peacefully Friday, October 4, 2024, at his residence.
George was born November 15, 1932, in Hudson, Illinois the son of Vester and Fern (Farrell) Gore. He grew up on a farm in Adams County and attended Oxford High School in Oxford, Wisconsin and furthered his education at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois. He then enlisted into the U.S Marine Corp, serving from January of 1953 and honorably discharged in January of 1956. He was united in marriage to Mary Ann Rogge on July 20, 1953, in Lyndon Station. They lived in the Chicago suburbs where George worked as an electrical engineer for 31 years and in 1998, they relocated to Elroy, Wisconsin.
George loved to snowmobile and to write stories about snowmobiling. Through his writing and participation in snowmobile clubs and association, he became a spokesman for the sport and had been a president of the Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs from 1984 to
1985. His enjoyment in later life was writing “Grandpa Stories” for his grandchildren which were also shared with the public in the Juneau County Messenger along with crossword puzzles.
George is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; son, George (Debra) Gore; daughters, Tama (David) Finke and Patricia Gore; brothers, Holly Edd (Patricia) Gore and Dean (Judy) Gore; sisters, Bonnie (Kieth) Timinski and Nancy Edwards; seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, and dear friend Betty Leverenz. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant daughter, Mary Thomasina Gore and a sister, Shirley Combs.
The family would like to give special thanks to Andy and Deb for round the clock care, and to Betty Leverenz who has been a devoted friend and caregiver, and to all the people who stopped by or sent letters and cards to George. And thank you to the nurses and staff with Agrace Hospice.
Safety & Education
Greetings, all! There is definitely a hint of fall in the air as I write this. The harvest is in full swing, trees are turning and club meetings are in full swing. It’s the preseason folks, almost time for our favorite sport to get rolling. Folks are talking about trips, leave time from work, (unless you’re retired!!), sled tradin’, and the list goes on. Dang, I love winter! I hope you are in preseason mode. This is time to prep the sleds, check out the trailer and tow vehicle, etc. We pull those trailers in some pretty awful conditions at times, so taking a good look underneath is a must. Tires, bearings, wiring, hitch condition are just some of the things to check out. Now is the time to look at these things when it’s warm, dry and close to home and your favorite parts supplier.
Are you a safety instructor? I’m guessing you have your class date set, location reserved and kids have started getting registered. I really feel parents are starting to see the value of an instructor-taught class as there were some larger classes last year and this year already. I think if we keep doing what we do, and do a good job at it, our numbers will increase. I had a very positive meeting with the IDNR this summer and met the awesome folks involved with the Safety Education Program. Lots of good ideas were shared and we cleared the air on several issues. I think the potential is there for lots of good things to come from this meeting. I thank Cody Gray and his dedicated team for their time and attention to Illinois snowmobile safety.
Trail marking happening this month? With the dry fall, a lot of harvest has happened already, which allows us to get out there and start working on trails. Please do that sort of work as a team and don’t go out on your own. Accidents can happen in a hurry regardless of the job. Don’t take for granted that a simple job is nothing to be concerned about. It’s easy to get a little too comfortable doing a mundane task. That’s when a person can get careless and an accident can happen. So just like when
you’re riding a sled, don’t go alone. Make sure someone knows where you will be working, and pay attention to the task at hand. You don’t want to start out the season laid up with an injury.
Convention will probably be in full swing by the time you are reading this and I hope you’re able to attend. It is always a good time to connect with fellow Illinois riders and attend some great seminars. On a sad note, I want to mention the passing of two icons in Illinois snowmobiling. We recently lost both former IASC President and SEP chair, George Gore, and long time Elgin Cold Ducks member and SEP instructor, Larry Ratzlaff. Both of these guys played a huge role in Illinois snowmobiling and their absence will be noticed by many. They were not only dedicated to snowmobile safety (Larry schooled me more than once on one of my many missteps!), they were both a couple of serious riders. George had a group he rode with that was big into travel trips and Larry would crank out some crazy miles on that big Yamaha. Illinois snowmobiling was better due to their efforts and dedication. They will be sorely missed. Godspeed, boys, and happy trails. I’m going to wrap up another latesubmitted article and wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving. Think snow, everybody. I hope to see you at the convention.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
What is the purpose of Tread Lightly?
a) Prevent snowmobile thefts and deter crime
b) Increase noise pollution
c) Encourage outdoor ethics to preserve wild lands
d) Promote hiking as a sport and reduce the number of snowmobiles on trails
Answer: b) Encourage outdoor ethics and preserve wild lands.
Safety Class Schedule
11/2/24 Hampshire Township Park District 390 South Avenue, Hampshire 7:30am-4:00pm Genice 847-987-3986
11/16/24 Pingree Grove/Countryside 10N255 Dittman Rd., Elgin 7:30am-4:30pm 815-370-4301 Fire Station #1
11/16/24 Brewster Creek 6N 921 Route 25, St. Charles 8:00am-4:30pm Ron 630-546-8058 RgJulian@comcast.net
11/16/24 McHenry County Sheriffs Office 2200 N Seminary Ave., Woodstock 8:00am-4:00pm Register at the following link: www.mchenrysheriff.org/snowmobileclass
11/30/24 Leone’s Polaris 3061 E. 103rd Rd., Peru 8:00am-4:30pm 815-220-1780
12/14/24 Oneida-Wataga Fire Station 210 N Sage St., Oneida 8:00am-4:30pm 309-368-0620 or 309-335-4095
12/14/24 McHenry County Sheriffs Office 2200 N Seminary Ave., Woodstock 8:00am-4:00pm Register at the following link: www.mchenrysheriff.org/snowmobileclass
12/15/24 Lena Community Center 497 Lions Dr., Lena 8:00am-4:00pm 815-990-2652
1/25/25 H.Q. Kane Cnty Forest Preserve 1996 Kirk Rd., Geneva 8:00am-4:30pm Ron 630-546-8058 RgJulian@comcast.net
1/11/24 McHenry County Sheriffs Office 2200 N Seminary Ave., Woodstock 8:00am-4:00pm Register at the following link: www.mchenrysheriff.org/snowmobileclass
Pat Pendergast
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