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Grand Rapids, MI 49525
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Snowmobiling
Interesting
Stats & Facts
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Jim
Duke Selected ACSA Snowmobiler of the Year
Jim Duke of Christmas, Michigan was selected the American
Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) “Snowmobiler of
the Year”. This prestigious award was given at the annual
International Snowmobile Congress in Boise, ID on June 15,
2008. Jim was nominated by the Michigan Snowmobile
Association (MSA) and selected by his peers as the best of
the best of all 26 snowmobile states!
Jim has been snowmobiling for over 30 years and is a member
of 2 clubs! He was the founder of his first club, the
Snomads Snofari Club in Oxford, MI. He has been an active
volunteer for over 28 years to the Michigan Snowmobile
Association. He has been a director, membership chair, PR
chair, VP, and President of MSA. Jim has also been Vice
President, President of ACSA, and Chairman of the
International Snowmobile Council. |
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Jim is very
knowledgeable in all aspects of snowmobiling. He has worked
not only with local and state officials but currently has a
very good working relationship with the US Forest Service (USFS)
and the National Parks Service (NPS) in his local area and
Washington DC. Jim is currently on five different committees
within the state association, two committees dealing with
the DNR and Forest Service, and on two ACSA committees. The
Award was presented by Todd Wilkinson, ACSA President from
SD.
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Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
On Wednesday June 4th Snowmobiler’s
from
SE Michigan gave up their time from watching the Wing’s lock up
the Stanley Cup to participate in the 2nd MSA Focus
Group. The gathering was held in Auburn Heights, near the
Palace. The information gathered from this meeting, and the
previous meeting in Mackinaw City will be used by MSA to develop
a Strategic Plan for the future of MSA and the snowmobile
program. |
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After a hearty welcome and introductions were
given by MSA Vice President, Jim Dickie, he introduced MSA
President Don Reed. Don gave everybody a brief synopsis of the
snowmobile program. A question and answer period followed , and
attendees asked many questions about program, how it was
developed, and how it functions today.
Bill Manson gave those in attendance a little
history of MSA, and then introduced Rick Troy who facilitated
the meeting. The attendees were broken up into five groups and
given the following tasks.
Exercise 1: Identifying Internal and External influences on the
MSA and Snowmobiling
Exercise 2: The Future of the Michigan Snowmobile Association
All of the information collected was then put on
the boards. The group then narrowed the items down and itemized
them in order of importance. Hundreds of thoughts and ideas
will be looked at by the planning committee in the order of
importance of the participants.
Communications, Membership, Accountability were
high up on the list. The issue Jim picked up on was most
attendees want the MSA’s web site to be THE MICHIGAN
SNOWMOBILE WEBSITE, period. They want it to do everything,
like the posting of trail reports from the grant sponsors,
those doing the grooming, they want it to be interactive and a
moderated forums sections so that everyone can communicate with
each other. They want MSA information posted weekly if not
daily. They want news items dealing with snowmobiling posted. He
even heard a suggestion that the web site have a section where
people could report stolen sleds, trailers etc. A lot of good
ideas!!!!
Fuel prices are on everyone's mind. Most stated
that they will still ride no matter what the price of fuel is,
however the cost of driving, hauling a trailer back and forth to
the North Country WAS the big issue. Many stated that they are
now looking for places to park their trailers and leave them, if
not for the winter, at least from one weekend to another. This
looks like an opportunity for business owners to really promote
this concept.
MSA would like to thank Rick Troy & Paul
Anderson, and all of the others involved in making this meeting
a successful one. |
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..:::MSA
Strategic Planing Meeting I instant replays
on
YouTube:::..
please check back for replays of meeting II |
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left to right
Tom Myers, Bruce Wood, Jim Dickie, Representative
Knollenberg District 9 Farmington Hills, John Griffin,
Don Reed, Jim Duke |
A MSA delegation went to Washington DC on April 8th to
tell the Michigan House and Senate representatives about
Michigan Snowmobiling! They had good meetings with all of
the Representatives offices as well as both Senate offices.
The message they took to Washington was to make sure that
they knew that snowmobiler's want to maintain the present
access they currently have in the 3 Michigan National
Forests and Pictured Rock National Lakeshore. They also
talked about the importance of the economic impact and the
importance of closing the loophole in the HIPPA Act for
insurance.
They were joined there by representatives from the American
Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) and 22 other
snowmobile state delegates.
left to right
Jim Dickie, Representative Dave Camp District 4 Midland, Bruce
Wood
left to right
Bruce Wood, John Griffin Representative Thaddeus McCotter
District 11 Livonia
left to right
Jim Dickie, John Griffin, Senator Debbie Stabenow,
Bruce Wood,
Tom Myers,
left to right
Jim Dickie, Don Reed,
Representative Bart Stupak, Jim Duke, Tom Myers
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GAYLORD TO CHEBOYGAN TRAIL NEWS
Snowmobiling
has been allowed on the 11 mile section
along west Mullet Lake for the last two
years. The Department of Natural Resources
will evaluate the use of snowmobiles
on this segment of trail, including
compliance with the restrictions, following
two full seasons of snowmobile use.
The
restrictions were to close the trail to all
snowmobile traffic from midnight to 8 AM,
and have a speed limit for the whole 12 mile
stretch of 35 MPH. |
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The special
land use orders were signed by Rebecca A.
Humphries, director of the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) two
years ago. The evaluation of the impact of
snowmobiling will be conducted this month
and any change to the order allowing
snowmobiling will be brought to the Natural
Resource Commission.
Over the last
two years the department has continually
received complaints about snowmobiling from
the same handful of residents along the
trail. Law enforcement officials have noted
a few violations for curfew, and speeding.
These violations and complaints will most
likely be weighed by the department against
the value that snowmobiler's have brought to
the area, as well as the maintenance the
clubs along the trail have done.
MSA needs you
to get out your pen and let the department
know that you want the trail to stay
open to snowmobilers. If you have ridden
the trail, your ride will speak for itself.
If not, here are a few ideas. The grade is
the only permanent way to get from Gaylord
to the bridge through the center of the
state. Private land, swamp and lakes make
all other routes suspect. The value that
snowmobile dollars bring to the businesses
in northern Lower Michigan allows them to
stay open.
pearsorg@michigan.gov
or send written comments to:
Robin Pearson
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Gaylord Operations Service Center
1732 West M-32
Gaylord, MI 49735 |
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Snowmobile trails in
Michigan are open from December 1st through March 31st.
The Michigan
Snowmobile Association is a volunteer organization dedicated to the
improvement of the sport of snowmobiling in Michigan.
To
place advertising in the Michigan Snowmobile News
contact Shannon Kubiak,(800) 935-1592, ext. 100,skubiak@printcomm.com
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