Dear Members:
Thank you for your continued support of the Merrimac Snowbusters. The 2023/24 snowmobiling season offered some interesting situations where we had more snow than the rest of the state. The trails up north never really opened, and we had visitors from all over come ride many miles on our system. This of course required lots of time in the groomer to keep the trails in the best condition possible, and we are always looking for new folks to jump in the groomer! Without our dedicated club members, we would not have been able to run groomer to keep up with the demands that were seen over those 10 days. We have begun using a Text Service to better communicate to our members. If you would like to join, please text “Members” to 833-991-1307.
Community Involvement:
The continued focus going into the 2024/25 season is club member engagement. We want as many people to be involved in community events as well as the installation and maintenance of the trail. Our club is not defined only by snowmobiling but how we can also give back. If you know anyone who you think could be a good fit for our mission at hand, please speak to them to and see if they would like to get involved by showing up for a workday or a meeting.
The 2024 Moon Valley Fisharee was held on 2/17 despite less than perfect conditions, but what a fantastic event it turned out to be. This years event will be held on February 15th. The proceeds from this event will again be used to donate to foundations, scholarships or people in need. The club will continue to sponsor this event while working with its founder’s with the goal to give back to the community in areas of need while hosting a fun event for all.
At the writing of this newsletter, we have collected over 20 bags of garbage along Hwy 78 due to our Adopt-A-Hwy efforts. It is our responsibility to clean this section of road 3 times a year, with the next opportunity to do so being Oct 26th at 9:30am. We will be meeting at the Ferry Xing and shuttling people to needed locations. Please join this effort if you can.
Fund Rasing:
Due to last year’s success with the ATV Raffle, the club has chosen to continue this ATV raffle for another year. This year’s ATV is a 2023 Polaris 450 with a MSRP of $8,299.99. We are selling these tickets at 1 for $20 or 6 for $100. This was a very large purchase for the club but we believe it will have a substantial upside of nearly $10,000 if we are able to sell out. The raffle will be held in conjunction with the Fisharee. The County will continue to hold their Gun Raffle with Tickets will be distributed for that as well.
Please come to a monthly meeting or reach out to a board member to get a few books of tickets to sell. The more people we have selling books, the easier it will be to achieve our goals!
Membership:
Everyone’s membership ended June 30, 2024. Please renew your membership upon receipt of this letter by completing the attached form and return to a Club Member or Mail to: PO Box 124 Merrimac WI 53561
- Membership Form:
- Note: Memberships are Due by December 1st 2024 or a $5 Processing fee will be incurred due to how AWSC processes Club Memberships
- AWSC Membership number: Your membership number can be found on the AWSC magazine you receive or on the AWSC website.
- Trail Passes: You are eligible for up to 8 discounted Trail Passes with your club membership ($30 Per Sled vs $10 with Membership).
- Trai Passes are mailed from the DNR and can take up to 21 days for delivery via US mail, so do not wait until the last minute.
Without the watchful eye of the AWSC, Wisconsin would not have a network of 25,000 miles of snowmobile trail which is ranked in the top three trail systems in the nation. Please consider this as you renew your club membership.
Board Member Elections
This year we will have elections during the December Club Meeting for President and Vice President. After 20+ years, Ted Walmer will be stepping down as Club President. If you are interested in continuing to strengthen and advance all the work that Ted has so graciously done, please contact a Board Member about throwing your hat into the ring.
Trail Maintenance and Signage:
First of all, we thank ALL of our landowners for the ability complete this work through their property. Coming up in October we will have several workdays where we encourage members to come participate in trail clean-up, tree trimming and installing signage. It’s a great way to meet your fellow club members as well as contribute to a discounted membership while helping the cause of trail maintenance. We will also be looking to install a Bridge over Skillet Creek in the Devils Lake area – you all know this crossing.
What to bring? Chainsaws, shears, clippers, eye protection, gloves.
Work Day Schedule: All work dates will begin at 8:00 am at Charlies Lakeside County Store, Merrimac, WI unless otherwise noted. Special work Days will be sent out via Text
- Saturday, October 12th
- Saturday, October 19th
- Saturday, October 26st
- Saturday, November 2th
- Saturday, November 9th
- As Needed
Club Meetings:
All Meetings to be held at Merrimac Conservation Club, unless otherwise updated prior via email. We encourage all members to attend monthly meetings to build camaraderie among other members and families and support the local businesses. After all, Snowmobiling is a great family sport and without the community involvement we are not able to support the sport and trails in the manner they deserve.
Upcoming Meeting Schedule:
- Sunday, September 22nd at 4:00 pm
- Sunday, October 20th at 4:00 pm
- Sunday, November 17th at 4:00 pm
- Sunday, December 14th at 4:00 pm – TBD
- **Saturday January 18th at noon – Winter Party
- Sunday, February 16th at 4:00 pm
- Sunday, March 16th at 4:00 pm
- Sunday, April 13th at 4:00 pm
Think snow and thank you for your support!
Sincerely.
-S.Bader
Contact Information:
If you have any questions, please email the Club Email or feel free to reach out to one of the Board Members:
Mail: PO Box 124 Merrimac, WI 53561
Club email: merrimacsnowbusters@gmail.com
Merrimac Snowbusters Snowmobile Club 