First time Ride for Dad-a success in Snow Road

Mar 04, 2015

Organizers of the first ever Ride For Dad snowmobile event in the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs' (OFSC) District 1, which took place at the Snow Road Snowmobile Club on February 28, were thrilled with the turn out. The event is a fundraiser for the fight against prostate cancer and attracted 93 registered riders of all ages from Kemptville, Kingston, Brockville, Smith Falls, and Perth. A large number of local riders participated as well. Among them were five-year-old Cooper and his dad, Philip, of Snow Road, who were participating in their first ever Ride For Dad.

It was also the first Ride for Dad for Dave Burns, a member of the Kemptville Snowmobile Club, who himself is a survivor of prostate cancer. He was diagnosed six years ago and has been cancer free since undergoing surgery and treatment. He attended the event with his wife Heather and three other couples from Kemptville.

The trail ride was a145 km loop (with an optional short cut) that stretched east to Perth, and north to Hopetown, with a lunch stop at the Civitan Club in Lanark. The $30 registration included lunch and registrants were automatically entered into a draw for close to 80 prizes donated by local individuals and businesses. These included a wide range of snazzy riding gear, original stained glass art, a number of gift baskets and more.

The event was sponsored by Crain's Construction, W.A. Robinson Asset Management and the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy. Members of the club put on a spaghetti dinner following the ride for the riders and the community at large.

Junior Snow Road club member Brandon Crain and Shelby Knight initiated and organized the event, which by the end of the day had raised over $5,000 in pledges.

Alice Gilchrist, a member of the club, who also participated in the ride, said that it was a huge success. “Frontenac and Lanark counties have gorgeous scenery and great trails with lots of hills and turns and riders always comment on how great the trails are here.”

Scott Buckley, governor of the OFSC District 1 and also its current president, said that District 1, which is home to 26 clubs and stretches from Napanee to Calabogie and east to the Quebec border, offers up 4000 kilometres of trails and is the largest of the 16 districts in Ontario. Buckley was pleased to see the event take place in the district, which he said is home to over 10,000 permit holders and hundreds of volunteers. "It's nice to see the event taking off here and we're very happy to be able to offer organized snowmobiling in the area,” he said.

Buckley cited the dedication of the hundreds of volunteers who put in thousands of hours to sign and groom the trails and said he is also very grateful to the many private landowners whose generosity allows for the amazing network of trails in the area.

“There is no way that the OFSC could afford to pay for all of the free help that we get through volunteerism,” Buckley said.