From the Vice President

From the MnUSA President It’s time ….

Scott Wakefield

Now that the official start to winter has come and gone, it’s time…to get ready for some snowmobiling! What a great Hay Days it was this year. Saturday was probably the most people I’ve ever seen at Hay Days in some 20 years I have attended. The enthusiasm of similar and like people for the coming season was evident for all to see. Beautiful weather and cooler temperatures helped with the feel of the coming season. The vendors displaying their products or services, and the sleds in the swap and on display, satisfied the visual part. The sound of the racing and the smells of two-stroke smoke, or more, enhanced even more senses, to conclude that it truly is time …for the snowmobiling season to start.

It’s time …to carry that enthusiasm into the coming season. We have a Fall Workshop coming up starting on Friday, October 21st, with registration beginning from 3pm to 7pm, Snowmobile Safety Instructor Training promptly starting at 5pm. Food and beverages will be available from 6pm and the hospitality room will be open from 8pm to 10pm.

Saturday registration continues at 7am in the front lobby of the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center. Morning events include the general membership with the election of officers and voting on the bylaw change that was published in Minnesota Snowmobiling last month. Then the fun starts with very educational seminars after lunch on your own. Sessions will include Grant Writing 101, Youth Group Focus, Chainsaw Safety, What is Trespassing, and more. Social hour is at 5:30 and dinner with a fundraiser for the Vets Ride at 6:30pm.

On Sunday we will have our directors meeting starting at 8am. Please reserve your spot today by completing the registration form in this publication. All events are at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center.

It’s time…to be thinking of how we can get more youth involved in our sport; how we can get more of the snowmobiling public to join MnUSA; how we get more out of ourselves to promote our sport. Bring a friend to your next club meeting. If we each can sign up one new member, that doubles our membership.

It’s time …to talk to that business to join MnUSA as a business sponsor. They will get great exposure to not just snowmobilers, but snowmobilers that have a multitude of other interests that may fit well with what they sell.

It’s time…we actively promote the sport on social media and in those avenues we have not yet ventured, getting our message out of family fun, safe and enjoyable recreation, on a wellestablished trail system that we have had in place for years. It was interesting at Hay Days on how many people from out of state want to come to Minnesota to ride, and where? and when? and what type of riding would fit their style of riding. We are a destination!

It’s time…if you’re a director to get out to the clubs in your regions, go to their meetings, introduce yourself, let them know about what you do as a director and how they can get involved by joining a committee, or volunteering at a MnUSA event.

It’s time …if you’re a committee chair, to start to meet with your committee and find out what we need to do to help get members to join the committee, and get your committee’s goals known and accomplished.

It’s time…we all step up and move this organization forward. We have a lot of great opportunities to grow; I hope you will join me.