聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Even without the snow - and snowmobiles - the Arcola Optimist Club celebrated its annual snowmobile rally in style, awarding in excess of $30,000 in prizes to the hundreds of sledders and non-sledders from near and far who filled Arcola's Prairie Place Hall by the end of the day - not only celebrating decades of snowmobiling, but also supporting a variety of community causes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Husband and wife team Laurie and Jackie Kyle and their friend Candace Grevais Doan - all of Estevan - are avid snowmobilers and have attended the Arcola rally since it began.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e've come to Arcola since it started and we'll keep on coming to Arcola,鈥� says Laurie, while Gervais Doan added with a smile: 鈥淣o snow; it's still a go.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The day of food and fun ended with draws for prizes totalling $30,000. The event's grand prize winner - Brian Craig of Arcola - won the choice of four vehicles supplied by Moose Mountain Leisure in Carlyle: a 2018 Arctic Cat 8000 141 HC snowmobile, a 2018 Arctic Cat Alterra Mudpro LTD quad, a 2017 Arctic Cat Wildcat Rd Side x Side, or a 2017 Arctic Cat HDX XT EPS Red Side x Side.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Other prizes included two $1,000 cash draws, jewelery from Hillberg & Berk, a complete ice fishing package from Cabela's, a Manitoba snowmobiling trip and much more.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The sentimental favourite was a 25th anniversary snowmobile rally helmet, painted by Regina artist, Art Lima and commissioned by the Arcola Optimists especially for the rally's quarter-century celebration.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The club's secretary-treasurer Glen Lawson says: 鈥淓very year, our sponsorship is really, really great and this year is no exception. Their support and the support of everyone who volunteers at the rally and everyone who attends the rally year after year allows the club to carry out community projects聽 and maximixe our contribution to these worthy causes.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e've heard from many of our sponsors that they're really pleased with the exposure they receive throughout southern Saskatchewan as the result of their contributions to this event,鈥� adds Lawson. 鈥淪o we're really pleased about that, too. We're happy to be able to give something back to them for their ongoing support.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Trail coordinator and Optmist Club member Kevin Paton agrees, adding: 鈥淭his event just wouldn't be possible without the ongoing support of each and every one of our sponsors as well as evey person who supports the rally.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lawson says that during the past 25 years, the Arcola Optimists have been able to carry out local legacy projects, largely due to funds raised at the rally.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's our biggest fundraiser,鈥� explains Lawson. 鈥淥ur past projects have included the play park in Arcola, the MacMurray Theatre restoration and renovations to the Arcola Optimist Legion Hall, to name a few.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his year, we want to start work on a skate board park and we'll also begin work on moving the RV park in Arcola.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Optimist Club President Blake Brownridge addressed the crowd saying, 鈥淭hank you all for coming out to the rally for 25 years and thank you to our sponsors. Without everyone's support, we couldn't support our community.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Next year's rally is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019 - snow or no snow.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For more information, visit .
