Archive: 2008-09 Season

Ontario’s Near North Welcomes OFSC Family of the Year

Posted: July 08, 2009

Snowmobiling and volunteering are a family affair at the Wallace household. Kurt and Sam, and their six children, then aged 6 to 15 – Ron, Jodie, Kursten, Zackery, and twins Luke and Seth – are the backbone of the Westwood Hills Snowmobile Club in Woodstock (D5).  At last fall’s convention in Markham, the OFSC named the Wallace family as the 2008 Volunteer Family of the Year. Their recognition award included a very special family getaway courtesy of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership, Ontario’s Near North, Digital Video Productions (Snow Goer Canada and Snowmobiler TV), with two nights at the Best Western Lakeshore, North Bay, and two nights at Sunset Cove Lodge, Callandar. The adventure would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of volunteers from several clubs of the Near North Trails Association, District 11 Governor, Vic Trahan, and SouthShore Restoule office manager, Bunny Tucker.

The Wallace trip became even more of a family affair. Grandfather Norm Pearson and Uncle Gary Fuselli provided day care while Sam and her husband Kurt rode during the day. The Wallace’s arrived in the North Bay area in early February. Their three-day getaway included snowmobiling, ice fishing and dog sledding. “Getting the family trophy was wonderful and to see our club’s name on it was fantastic,” said Sam. And when they realized the award also included this snowmobiling getaway, Sam said they were “gobsmacked! It was the first trip we have been able to take snowmobiling with all eight of us.”

On their first day, a group of 14, including the entire Wallace clan, headed out on the SouthShore Restoule Club trails for a day ride to Powassan for lunch at the clubhouse, courtesy of Oshells ValuMart in Powassan. Bunny had ably set this up with only two days notice when the restaurant that had been originally planned for the lunch stop became unavailable.

Guided by Ben Vaillancourt and Colin Tucker of the SouthShore Restoule Club, the Wallace’s had an opportunity to see touring trails such as they never imagined. After many stops for photos, the family arrived back at Best Western for supper and early bed. Next day, grandpa, uncle and Pat Killroy took the six children horse sleigh riding and for a dog sled demo. The kids had a great time and really enjoyed being able to handle the dogs themselves. Apparently they had no problems either with the hot dogs and marshmallows cooked over a bonfire! Meanwhile, the adults and the STV film crew, accompanied by the trusty SouthShore guides, Colin and Ben, went to the Crow’s Nest in Restoule for lunch and explored a maze of the local trails. Their day’s journey ended at Sunset Cove Lodge, where the rest of their group joined them for a wonderful dinner and an overnight of much needed rest. The family even got to bring a whole sugar pie back to their cabin after supper!!

The final day was colder, with morning temperatures of -25˚ plus a wind chill warning, so the five youngest children stayed behind with grandpa and uncle so that they could experience ice fishing. The children had lots to talk about later…the ride out in a covered trailer to a heated ice hut, the nice man who kept putting on the minnows, the great snacks for grazing through the day (Bunny Tucker sure knew what kids like to nibble on!) They caught and released 60 fish – a few pickerel, some herring and lots of perch – and just about wore out the grownups! The rest of the group, with Ken Prescott of the Bonfield Club taking over from Colin, bundled up and set off to explore the Bonfield trails, with a stop at Wagner’s Gas Bar in Astorville for fuel where the group was outfitted with toques and hats courtesy of Jeff Wagner. Lake Nosbonsing was well staked and they arrived at the Dinner Bell forlunch…more great food and a much needed warm up.

After lunch, Ken guided the group through the Bonfield trails with a stop at the spectacular Bolter Mountain Lookout. The kilometres of rail bed travel were a real treat. The day ended back on the TOP D trail and then club trail 710 to Hunter’s Bay Marine, followed by a ride along the staked trail on Lake Nipissing to Sunset Cove Lodge in time for supper. The Wallace family left tired and happy Thursday morning with lots of great memories and photos of a wonderful holiday in Ontario’s Near North. They hope to come back in this summer.

If you are looking for a great place to go for a family snowmobiling getaway, check out all the amazing winter activities and events available in Ontario’s Near North at www.ontariosnearnorth.on.ca.

 
Editor’s Note: special thanks to Helen Vaillancourt of the SouthShore Restoule S.C.
and Brandi Cramer of the North Bay Nugget for provided the basis of this article.

Source: MainTrail, June 2009  
 

Paudash Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club, P.O. Box 130, Apsley, Ontario  K0L 1A0
Phone: (705) 656-2292   Fax: (705) 656-2602   Toll Free: 1-800-385-8644   info@paudashtrailblazers.on.ca