Michigan Snowmobile Association, Inc. is  a  non-profit,  primarily  volunteer organization  dedicated  to   preserving, protecting  and  effectively  managing Michigan's  treasure of snowmobile trails.  As well as advocating for the protection of  snowmobilers and landowners  property rights. 
FRESH TRACKS  
 
April  2019   
MSA Meeting Dates

General Membership Meeting
Location: 
Crown Choice Motel,
722 Huron Ave, 
Mackinaw City, MI 49708
10:00 AM

 PUBLIC WELCOME TO ATTEND! 
Only MSA members will be allowed to vote on the new bylaws and articles of incorporation to become MISORVA. 
 Must be a member by 
April 18 2019 to be eligible to vote.


Annual Membership meeting will be October 19 2019
Make the plan to attend!


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Visit Our Sponsor



Let the world know you are proud of your MSA!  
Get your hitch cover now!  
40 left in stock ready to ship to your home!
60.00 each includes shipping to your home!  
Buy yours today on our website!

Want to see your logo and link here?  
There are a couple main sponsor spots that will be available for the upcoming year.  August ~July 
500.00 buys you a link for a year and 250.00 more for the main sponsor with information about your location or business for one month!  
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If you have not been receiving Fresh Tracks or want to be sure you never miss it Text MSA to 22828



MSA
AWARDS
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Volunteers are a necessity in ever club, association group ect...MSA honors those individuals each year! 
 Do you know an outstanding individuals that continually go above and beyond to the sport.  Groomers, Clubs, Commercial Members and Snowmobiler.  
 If you know someone that fits that bill and they are a MSA member download a form and nominate them!  Let the world know just how great they are!
  

Groomer of the Year

 

Club of the Year

 

Snowmobiler of the Year

 

Commercial Member of the Year

 Did you know....
Special Services Bureau is able to issue a replacement Historic Snowmobile decal?
Snowmobile decal...similar to the replacement of a regular snowmobile registration decal, $5.00 and the written request giving us the previous HSNO decal number, or a copy of the original HSNO registration is quite acceptable, and the customers' name and mailing address to :   
  MDOS - Special Services Branch (SSB)
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, MI 48918
 M-F, 9am - 4:45pm 
517-322-1473,
 

Who Needs to Take a Snowmobile Safety Course???
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Keep checking for new dates added next fall!
 You must successfully complete a snowmobile safety course if you are:
  • A person who is at least 12 but less than 17 years of age operating a snowmobile without direct supervision of a person 21 years of age or older must have in their immediate possession a valid snowmobile safety certificate or ......Read More

Get involved, become part of Adopt-A-Trail!

Every club in the state needs help...whether it be an hour, a day or a season...

Lets make it personal...
Have you visited the MSA website www.msasnow.org?
How about a MSA Life Member Jacket?  Not a Life Member we have great MSA coats for you too!
Be proud to show the world you support MSA!

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Some thoughts from Kevin Beilke Snowtech Magazine....
As they say, united we stand - divided we fall. If we, as a user group, don't clean up our act then others will step in and clean it up for us, and it won't be in a good way. Be it the private land owners, increased enforcement, government regulators passing new laws and speed limits, or increased public pressure to get our act together to stop the killing, it will happen. Again, the choice is ours. Speak up and shut down those you ride with who are offenders - drinking, crazy speeding in the wrong place, stupid loud pipes, trespassing. We're being watched and our future depends on how or if we can handle this on our own, or not. Read the entire article here...
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Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup

The purpose of the Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup (SAW) is to provide the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) advice related to the snowmobile program. This includes advice related to the creation, development, operation and maintenance of the designated snowmobile trail system.
Next meeting :
June 20 2019 10:00 AM 
Alpena Snowmobile Association Clubhouse, 1410 Herron Rd., Herron, MI 49744


Go to  www.smile.amazon.com  today & sign in with your regular account or create a new account if you do not have one.
Remember, if you want Amazon to donate to Michigan Snowmobile Education and Advancement Fund, you need to start each shopping session at the URL  http://smile.amazon.com , and we will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases.
Just type in the full name: Michigan Snowmobile Education and Advancement Fund under the charity of your choice. The site will walk you through it! Reset your favorite to  www.smile.amazon.com  & order.  It's easy & it doesn't cost you a cent!
You can help organized snowmobiling every time you shop on Amazon!

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET?


Quick Links...





 


  Crocus

Notes from the office.........
So I'm sure by now you have all heard rumblings about the joint endeavours MSA & The ORV community becoming  MISORVA.  At the BOD meeting on March 16 the BOD voted to put the question in front of the General Membership in hopes that you all will see the benefits that are possible by working together.  The current MSA members will remain members and the renewal process will stay the same.  The Life Members will remain Life Members.  The Bylaws will change a bit to include the ORV partners and the Council areas will become Districts to include our entire state.  Each District will be allowed 2 representatives from Snowmobile clubs. Two representatives from ORV clubs and two from the Dual clubs.  There will also be an opening for 1 Commercial member from each District.  This will produce a BOD of 81 members.  That is a large change from what we have now.  This will also produce more ideas and more structure for working together and conveying information to others.  The Term limits will change just a bit also, President and Vice President will be allowed 4 one year terms instead of 2 at present time.  They will have to be re-elected every year at the Annual General Membership Meeting.  By joining forces we increase the volume of the voice.   Take one look at the Sierra club and their Do you feel you would like to take on a position on the BOD?  Come to the meeting and find out how you can make it happen.  Want to increase the power of the voice join today.  As a member you are encouraged to help where you can and wish to but are not obligated to volunteer.  The world is run by those that show up.....give it a chance and I think you will be pleasantly surprised..  Have thoughts  Email the office 
A question was posed to the BOD,
 is it time for MSA and ORV's to join forces?  
How does the Michigan Snowmobile & Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Association sound? That is the name that has been chosen for the organization that will represent snowmobilers and ORV enthusiasts in Michigan.
At the March 16 2019  MSA BOD will vote to accept or decline the move forward and  hold a special membership meeting to vote on this transition. All currently paid MSA members will be invited to come and cast their ballot to move forward on this change. All current MSA members will see no changes to their current memberships, you will be notified of the day and time of this meeting, as well as specific bylaw changes. Read more here...

May 18 ~  General  Membership  Meeting  
Meeting begins at 10:00Am ~ 
At the March 16 BOD meeting a vote was taken . it was voted to change the bylaws and articles of Incorporation of the Michigan Snowmobile Association to the  Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association- MISORVA   So, per the existing MSA bylaws a Special Membership meeting has been called and a discussion and vote will tale place to change the name and bylaws to the Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association.  Mackinaw Beach & Bay Hotel  929 South Huron St  Mackinaw City, MI 49701  Time: 10:00 AM   Discussion with vote to follow.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT..........
Twenty years ago, in Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA's convention.
While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the lineup of speakers scheduled to present during the weekend. One name kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment - "John Scolinos is here? Oh, man, worth every penny of my airfare."
Who is John Scolinos, I wondered. No matter; I was just happy to be there.
In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in 1948. He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung - a full-sized, stark-white home plate.
Seriously, I wondered, who is this guy?
After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he'd gotten on stage. Then, finally .... "You're probably all wondering why I'm wearing home plate around my neck," he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility. "I may be old, but I'm not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I've learned in my life, what I've learned about home plate in my 78 years."
Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. "Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?"
After a pause, someone offered, "Seventeen inches?", more of a question than answer.     "That's right," he said. "How about in Babe Ruth's day? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house?" Another long pause.  "Seventeen inches?" a guess from another reluctant coach.
"That's right," said Scolinos. "Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room?" Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. "How wide is home plate in high school baseball?"    "Seventeen inches," they said, sounding more confident.
"You're right!" Scolinos barked. "And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college?"    "Seventeen inches!" we said, in unison.
"Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball?"............"Seventeen inches!"
"RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues?      "Seventeen inches!"
"SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!" he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls. "And what do they do with a Big League pitcher who can't throw the ball over seventeen inches?" Pause. "They send him to Pocatello !" he hollered, drawing raucous laughter. "What they don't do is this: they don't say, 'Ah, that's okay, Jimmy. If you can't hit a seventeen-inch target? We'll make it eighteen inches or nineteen inches. We'll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can't hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches.'"
Pause. "Coaches... what do we do when your best player shows up late to practice? or when our team rules forbid facial hair and a guy shows up unshaven? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him? Do we widen home plate? "
The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach's message began to unfold. He turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. "This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline.
We don't teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We just widen the plate!"
Pause. Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag. "This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful, and to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?"
Silence. He replaced the flag with a Cross. "And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate for themselves! And we allow it."
"And the same is true with our government. Our so-called representatives make rules for us that don't apply to themselves. They take bribes from lobbyists and foreign countries. They no longer serve us. And we allow them to widen home plate! We see our country falling into a dark abyss while we just watch."
I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curve balls and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable.
From an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path.
"If I am lucky," Coach Scolinos concluded, "you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: "If we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools & churches & our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to ..."
With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside, "...We have dark days ahead!."
Note: Coach Scolinos died in 2009 at the age of 91.  His message was clear: "Coaches, keep your players-no matter how good they are-your own children, your churches, your government, and most of all, keep yourself at seventeen inches."
And this my friends is what our country has become and what is wrong with it today, and now go out there and fix it!

"Don't widen the plate."


 CAMP OUT!  
Who going!!   
WHAT?  You don't know ?  Find the information below!
 Make your reservations today!  This promises to be a great event to kick off your summer season!  
Dates for the camp out are June 14-16 at the Headwaters campground in Fredrick MI
Cost is $39 for water and electric and $44 for full hook up per night
cabins are also available
Make reservations at 989-705-2066 tell them you are with MSA!
Please let the MSA office  ~ 616/361-2285 know how many are coming 
so we can plan for food. We want to be sure those officers have enough to cook for breakfast!
Reservations can be made after today but before Apr 15 
If you want full hook up call early as those spots are limited
There will be a quad /side by side ride on friday!
There are boat rentals and kayak rentals on site and 
a boat launch if you want to bring your own
this year we want to invite non members to join us to see what the MSA is about- so bring all your snowmobiling friends!! 

Getting Here:
Take I-75 North to Waters (Exit 270)
Turn West off Marlette Road to Old 27 South 
Turn South on Old 27 South, drive approximately 1.8 miles
Turn West on Headwaters Court
Turn North into Headwaters Campground
Campground Address:
Headwaters Camping & Cabins
11687 Headwaters Court
Frederic, MI 49797
 

Michigan Trails Advisory Council
The Michigan Trails Advisory Council advises the Department of Natural Resources and the governor on the creation, development, operation and maintenance of motorized and non motorized trails in the state, including  snowmobile, biking, equestrian, hiking, off-road vehicle and skiing trails.

Snowmobiling Needs You: Joining A Snowmobile Club Is Easy, Important & Fun
Snowmobiling is also unusual in how incredibly dependent it is on its participants to develop, maintain and protect its infrastructure. Golfers don't personally build and maintain golf courses; bicyclers don't personally pave trails. But snowmobilers - grouped together as club members - actually do create, nurture and defend their trails and riding areas . Read More....
What Is the Snowmobile Trail Improvement Program?
The Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund provides funding to maintain snowmobile trails as part of the designated statewide trail system. Grant funds are available for three purposes, seasonal grooming and general maintenance of snowmobile trails  Special maintenance projects that improve the condition and/or access to trails. Replacement of equipment used for maintaining trails.

Tunnel to help keep snowmobile drivers, others safe

There will soon be a tunnel going under US-41 near Menards in Marquette Township.
It will help snowmobilers, hikers and others safely get from one side to the other.
The Marquette Township Board met tonight and officially decided to  call the tunnel Pete's Pass.
It's named after Peter O'Dovero. He's a man who helped make the tunnel a reality.
Randy Girard is the Marquette Township Manager. He says, "There came a point in the tunnel project where it was questionable as to whether we were going to be able to come up with enough non- township funds to do it. Mr. O'Dovero stepped with a considerable contribution to make that happen."
Construction is expected to start some time in April. It could be done as early as August.
The project is being paid for with funds from grants and donations.



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Do you have a question, comment or concern? Your Board of Directors are here to help!  
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 President
Vice President 
Treasurer
Secretary
Past President 

Region 1 
                        
Region 2 
 
 Region 3
Region 1 covers the entire upper peninsula of Michigan.
Region 2 covers the top half of the lower peninsula.
Region 3 covers the bottom portion of the lower peninsula.
Do you have a comment question or concern?   Contact your representative from your region.  They are here to help!
Please consider supporting Michigan Snowmobile Association and our cause of helping to ensure the preservation, protection and wise management of Michigan's  treasure of snowmobile trails as well as your Snowmobile rights.
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