This year’s winner is a familiar face to everyone who attends the Sled Expo, he’s there just about every year, especially if the club’s groomers are on display.
Like so many award recipients, he’s a volunteer supreme. His arms are elbow-deep in every club function, whether it be trail work, events, fundraisers, RTP grants or simply promoting the club and snowmobiling in Massachusetts.
Sure, he’s a groomer operator, logging a tremendous number of hours every season… but keeping the trails smooth is more involved than steering a big rigs down the trail.
The hours maintaing the equipment are equally important and equally time consuming. Managing the groomer logs is another tedious duty.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, he was instrumental in planning the construction of the club’s new groomer garage and workshop.
I’m sure by now that most of you have guessed that this years groomer of the year recipient is Jim LaFrance of the Savoy Kanary Kats.
Details From The Nomination Submission:
Jim LaFrance is a very active member of the Savoy Kanary Kats Snowmobile Club, Inc.
Jim is the clubs Trailmaster, a position he has held for over 10 years. This year he volunteered for and was selected to be the alternate SAM representative to MARTAB!
Jim participates in all the clubs fundraisers which includes our annual Winter Carnival. This years event raised over $3,200 for our scholarship fund. He sells a large number of raffle tickets every year for the club. He and his wife Sandra man our club booth at the SAM snowmobile Expo.
Jim is an avid rider taking anyone who wants to go with him when not participating in one of our club rides. He obviously is involved with all our trail work and is continually trying to improve our trail system.
He is a groomer operator, logging a tremendous number of hours. He is also a key
contributor to the clubs maintenance program. on equipment.
Jim always talks club membership and participation whenever the conversation turns to snowmobiling!
Jim not only does all the maintenance work and repairs to the groomer he runs, but participates in the repair process on the rest of our groomers. He grooms more hours than most operators.
Jim has been the driving force in our quest for RTP Grants over the years and this year we’ve finally gotten a small group together to take some of the load and let him guide them through the process.
At the end of last years season the club undertook the construction of a 32 x 60′ groomer storage garage/workshop and possible meeting center. Jim was the driving force behind this project and put in untold hours.
Jim has been a key contributor to the club along with his wife Sandra, our secretary, and son Jimmy, trail worker, Skandic operator and maintenance worker.
Without his enthusiasm and expertise I doubt the club would be as successful as we are today!
Jimmy LaFrance accepted the award for his father at the SAM annual meeting.
Copyright (C) 2024, Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts. All rights reserved
