Trails in Vilas county opened December 13, 1997 but due to lack of snow they were in poor condition. Oneida county did not open until December 30. Guided trail rides for January were cancelled.
The year started out with Don Range retiring from doing trail signs. Thanks to Don for doing trail signs for the club for many years. Jim Fabish will assume that task.
The Weekend Away, planned for February and hosted by Don & Claudia Heiser, is still on and is traveling to the Chicagon Inn in MI. Trails closed at the end of February as there was no snow.
There were 20 snowmobile deaths to date in 1998, with the vast majority of deaths being due to drowning.
March is the election month for the Sno-Eagles. The club elected Jerry Tahtinen President, Gary Case VP, Audrey Stearns Treasurer, Sue Ann Bergevin Secretary. Tom Montag, Elmer Jensen, Louis Van Dyke, Lydia Bellettini, Mac McCoy and Gene Kozicki were elected directors.
Summer activities were planned and a membership drive at the Home Show is planned. After the canoe trip, all the “paddlers” met at the Ayers’ for “Something new is cooking”. It was a secret.
In July 1998, Jim Ayers was selected “Snowmobiler of the Year” by AWSC and received the award at the October conference in Stevens Point.
The summer picnic was held at Braywood Resort again. It was tons of fun and the pig roast was great.
At the October AWSC conference, our Miss Sno-Eagle Mary Kotschi was selected as AWSC Miss Snowflake. Congratulations Mary.
The November membership meeting was held at Clark’s Roadhouse formerly the Persian Paradise.
The Safety Course was held in December at the Lincoln Townhall. Sally Ayers coordinated the effort.