It’s been said by folks like us that “the family that snowmobiles together stays together.” But what if that family also is involved in the vital grass roots of the sport? Well, they become downright heroic in our books.
The following writeup on the Minnesota-based Velishek family comes from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA). That organization pegged the Velisheks as its Snowmobile Family of the Year at the recent International Snowmobile Congress in Moline, Illinois. Congrats to the Velisheks, and our sincere thanks for all you do for our great sport!
Snowmobile Family of the Year
The snowmobilers that are the ACSA Snowmobile Family of the Year have been involved in snowmobiling for 28 years.
When their club was in desperate need of help with no advance warning, they immediately stepped forward and took over the grooming program. Once that was under control, they branched out.
With no budget, they took a storage area and a work area and built racks and shelves so everything has a place and is ready and waiting without having to move equipment around when something is needed. They even added a heated storage area.
They then turned an old horse tack room and stalls into a fully furnished and functioning meeting area! They also saw to it that the groomers and the operators/mechanics had a heated groomer garage to thaw out and work on equipment.
This year’s ACSA Snowmobile Family of the Year is two brothers and their wives, Jerry and Emily Velishek, and Randy and Wanda Velishek from Fairbault, Minnesota.
The four of them spend countless hours each and every week at the club house developing checklists and service and mechanical records, mowing and maintaining the club grounds as well as making trail signs, then marking trails and removing the signs as well.
These two families see what needs to be done and find a way to get the job complete, on time and without instruction. They are also very involved in fundraisers throughout the year, as well as many other club functions on a regular basis.
These snowmobilers are most often not out in front, instead they are quietly working behind the scenes, often promoting membership in many different snowmobile-oriented organizations, from the local clubs to the regional levels and state level to ACSA and to the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame.
The Velisheks with the Fairbo Sno-Go Club are this year’s ACSA Snowmobile Family of the Year. Thank you for your dedication and hard work – and Congratulations!
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