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Club, Groomer, Dealer And Inventor Earn ISHOF Honors

The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF) recently announced its Class of 2020 Inductees, but they won’t be the only things being honored at the Hall’s famous September induction ceremony in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

In fact, a snowmobile club, trail groomer operator and sport-supporting dealership will being honored with ISHOF awards as well as a winner of the 2020 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit.

Here are the details on the ISHOF specialty award winners, as announced in a June 22 press release. Details on the awards ceremony can be found at the bottom of this press release; details on the 2020 ISHOF class can be found here.

ISHOF Special Award Recipients of 2020:

2020 International Snowmobile Club of the Year – sponsored by Woody’s : Sno-Trails Snowmobile Club, Hayward, Wisconsin

Sno-Trails snowmobile club

The Sno-Trails Club began in 1969 and is very active in the Sawyer County Snowmobile/ATV Alliance and Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs. They maintain 175 miles of trail and have logged 850 volunteer grooming hours in a single season. They utilize over 1000 wooden stakes to mark safe passage across 8 lakes and are always researching new easements for new and improved trail relocations. Sno-Trails consistently rosters 200+ family memberships annually, 40% being local residents and the remainder of members simply choose to ride their trails and support the club. Sno-Trails holds three major fundraising events every year with proceeds going to county wide trail maintenance. They are the Vintage Ride for American Cancer Society, Poker Run and Spring Bash. Sno-Trails also publishes a monthly newsletter with safety tips, trail updates and calendar of events. They utilize social media as well as local newspaper and radio to promote the club, their trails and snowmobile safety. Sno-Trails Snowmobile Club adopted their youth program called YETIS (Youth Excited & Interested in Snowmobiles) in 2015. Sno-Trails headline on their website is … ”It’s All About the Trails” and for 2020, Sno-Trails of Hayward, WI earns the coveted International Snowmobile Club of the Year.

2020 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year – sponsored by Snow Goer: Day’s Powersports, Bloomer, Wisconsin

Days Powersports logo

For a younger dealership, just 11 years old, Day’s Powersports has built a very distinguished reputation. A family owned business that believes in treating customers the way they like to be treated – like friends. The staff is top notch, very knowledgeable and treats every customer like an old friend. Business owner Jamison Day, has been with the Bloomer Sno-Hawks Snowmobile Club for over two decades and has always been active in supporting and growing the sport of snowmobiling in Chippewa County. Since starting the dealership, they have been avid advertisers on local snowmobile maps and sponsor signage on all the snow drags in Chippewa County. They provide a snow-mobile for classroom studies during DNR Snowmobile Safety Courses. They open their shop space for club members to work on trail signs. Their shop and mechanics are readily available to help with repairs to groomers when needed and they provide storage for the grooming equipment. Because of their knowledge of Wisconsin’s snowmobile program and their passion for snowmobiling, Day’s Powersports is an excellent choice for the 2020 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year.

2020 International Groomer of the Year  – sponsored by Arrowhead Groomers, Track Inc. & Pisten Bully: Don Wild, Antigo, Wisconsin

Don Wild snowmobile groomer
Don Wild, the International Snowmobile Groomer of the Year for 2020.

Don Wild started grooming snowmobile trails in 1968 when the Antigo Sno-Drifters club was formed. Back then he did it with only a snowmobile and built a homemade drag with parts and pieces of old farm machinery. Today Don still grooms at least 3 days a week on some of the most modern commercially made grooming units you will find anywhere. Don is an excellent mechanic on heavy equipment and keeps the club’s groomers and drags in top condition. Don has been Trail Boss for the Antigo Sno-Drifters 40+ years and running. He coordinates with the groomer operators as to when and where to groom as snow conditions warrant. Don has developed several grooming tech-niques, one his club calls “Snow Management” a unique way for holding snow in open areas which helps establish a solid deep base in the “flats” where grooming is often difficult. Don puts in countless hours so snowmobilers can have a fun, safe and memorable ride. Over 50 volunteer years of grooming snowmobile trails makes Don Wild a very worthy choice for International Groomer of the Year.

2020 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit : James Lewis, Springfield, Missouri

James Lewis
Edgar Hetteen award winner James Lewis

Jim graduated in 1958 from the engineering program at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. In 1962, he took a job with Dayco Corporation in Springfield as an applications engineer. In his career with Dayco, Jim shared the honor of having six U.S. patents, including an asymmetric belt transmission, which he helped Dayco patent. Then he was granted patents on design applications built for snowmobile testing and patents for the design of several types of snowmobile belts. By 1964, during his time with Dayco, Jim worked with Polaris Industries testing and evaluating variable speed drive belts on their snowmobiles and eventually in 1991 did the same with Bombardier. Jim was the first engineer to design “Top Cog” belts for snowmobiles which are today’s standard on all snowmobiles. Jim retired from Dayco in 1992.

Throughout his 30 years at Dayco, Jim worked with iconic snowmobile legends from Polaris and Arctic Cat such as Edgar Hetteen, Allen Hetteen, Bob Eastman, Leroy Lindblad, Larry Rugland, Roger Skime and Charlie Lofton. It is because of these distinguished accomplishments, we are awarding the 2020 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit to James Lewis.

Join us for ISHOF Induction Weekend in Eagle River, Wisconsin on Fri. and Sat. Sept, 25-26, 2020

We Invite YOU to Honor the new Class of 2020 and Special Award Recipients with a Special Banquet and Induction Ceremony in their Honor. The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Induction Ceremony Weekend celebrates and honors those involved in the sport of Snowmobiling; Recognizing a NEW class inducted into the Hall. Join the celebration: We invite all industry representatives, dealership personnel, club members, motorsports enthusiasts, friends, fans and supporters alike to attend this ISHOF annual special event. YOU can join this year’s ISHOF Induction Weekend with FUN activities of interest in Eagle River, Wisconsin beginning on Friday September 25, 2020. Along with a formal sit down Prime Rib or Chicken Dinner (your choice) to officially honor the Class of 2020 as they’re inducted into the Hall on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at Eagle Waters Resort 3958 Eagle Waters Rd, Eagle River, Wisconsin. This is a semi-formal affair so please dress accordingly for the event.

Show your support for the newly inducted Hall of Fame Class of 2020 and all special award recipients by registering online www.ishof.com to attend. ALL major cred-it cards and PayPal are accepted for secure online payment with immediate receipt and event info provided to you via e-mail with your paid registration. NOTE: Registration is REQUIRED for ALL guests and supporters to attend. Registration closes on September 15, 2020. Thank You for Your Support. See YOU in September!

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