b'PORT PERRY SNOWMOBILE CLUB CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARYDedicated volunteers and smooth trails keep this club running strongThe Port Perry Snowmobile Club (PPSC) celebrates itsbefore. Harpers cousin Herb Payne, who lived across 50th anniversary this season by doing what they do bestthe street, had bought a snowmobile, and he appeared tobringing their club members together to sled across theenjoy it immensely. Him and his couple of boys would run up and downnest-groomed trails in Ontario.Over 50 years, theyve grown a dedicated and ambi- this acrosstheroad,recallsHarper.Ithought,eld tious membership, who invest hundreds upon hundredsmaybe I should wander over and talk to him about this, of volunteer hours to ensure the trails are well groomedhe laughs. Thats how he boarded hisrst snowmobilefor permit holders. Their membership goes above and be- and he, too, enjoyed it immensely.rst yond, quick to respond to a landowners call, or support aHarperboughthis machinein1969,andhis neighbouring club in need.brother Charles (8 years his senior) also entered the sport. Asatestamenttotheirdedication,PPSCreceivedThey loved it, but shortly began to hear rumblings that a theOntarioFederationofSnowmobileClubs(OFSC)few rotten eggs might ruin it for everyone.Presidents Award as the 2009 outstanding club of the yearHarper and his friends heard rumours that the town-and were further fted with the Ted Day Communicationsship might consider restricting snowmobiles within town Award for connecting with club members, permit buyerslimits, because of complaints like: they were being oper-and the local community.ated late into the night; they were too loud and; snowmo-The club was founded on the same principles uponbilers were driving over residents front lawns. which it stands today: to unite through a common loveHarper and his colleagues felt forming an organiza-for snowmobiling, and to act as leaders in the communitytion could address the problem. We talked to some other by setting a positive example for recreational snowmobilepeople and got an idea that if we could get a club going, operation.perhaps we could get the [troublemakers] into the club Backin1968,beforethePPSCsfounding,charterand cut down on these problems.memberBillHarperhadneverriddenasnowmobileThe ambition was to organize, educate and set a good Please turn to page 50FOCUS - NOVEMBER 202049'