MnUSA Newsletter

MARCH 2024

THE MnUSA OFFICE IS MOVING!

As of April 1st, the office will be moving to a new location! More details on this in “From the MnUSA Office” below.

We just wanted everyone to know that there will be some delays in the next few weeks while we make this move. We are busy packing and relocating and doing our best to keep up with the day to day! Your patience is greatly appreciated!

WINTER RENDEZVOUS UPDATE

Region 9 threw an amazing event for us in February as we met for the annual Winter Rendezvous. Even though there was no snow, many came out to honor those that volunteer for the sport we love!

For those that missed the event, the Mn DNR report is attached for your review. Full write ups of the event can be found in the March issue of Minnesota Snowmobiler.

Mn DNR Report

WHITE EARTH STATE FOREST LAND (SF480)

S.F. 3480Kunesh

White Earth State Forest land transfer to the White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe requirement; tax-forfeited land disposition modification; White Earth State Forest Elimination

As many of you are aware there was legislation brought forward in regard to the White Earth Forest land in northern MN. Doug and Christian Franzen, our in house legal council, and Board Directors from the region were in talks with the state as well as the tribe to make amendments that would protect the use of the trails for snowmobiling in that area.

A hearing was held and attended by representatives with MnUSA and other associations, and at this time the bill has been tabled.

IN MEMORIAM

Late February and early March was a tough time for MnUSA when we lost not one,

but three of our regional directors.

Don Hanson (Region 9), DeLyle Pankratz (Region 2), and Tim Heinen (Region 6)

All these men were amazing assets to MnUSA and were some of the great leaders in making snowmobiling what it is today in Minnesota. They not only were current board directors, but past presidents, trail coordinators, club leaders and even International Snowmobile Hall of Fame members. We cannot express our gratitude for what these fine gentlemen have done for snowmobiling and what a great loss has been felt with their passing.

DON HANSEN

02/18/34 – 02/22/24

Don Hansen Memorial HERE

DELYLE PANKRATZ

11/11/45 – 2/29/24

DeLyle Pankratz Memorial HERE

TIM HEINEN

11/10/58 – 3/3/24

Tim Heinen Memorial HERE

A few reminders for this last month of the official snowmobile season:

Trails remain CLOSED until the local club opens them. Please check your local area clubs for trail status. If a gate is closed, DO NOT OPEN IT.
Only snowmobiles are permitted on snowmobile designated trails. Please refer to the proper ATV and SxS trails maps for those trails available. Know when, where AND with what you can ride!
Be safe and use caution on the ice. 6″ is suggested to be safe and know that NO ICE IS 100% SAFE!
Some areas of trail have had their signs taken down. Due to the weather we are having, some conditions just do not allow for riding. Farmers are starting to fertilize and get their fields ready, and some water areas are just not safe. If a trail has had its signs removed, please understand that there is likely a reason. We greatly appreciate your understanding, and apologize for the inconvenience.
Go ENJOY this amazing winter we are having. Even if we aren’t able to ride, get out and enjoy the beautiful days we are given and hopefully support those local communities that count on our patronage!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

THANK YOU to everyone who has been saving tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. We turned in a whooping 140 lbs. worth (this is for 23/24 yr.). The Shakopee Eagles Club saved the most with 70 lbs. Special Shout out to the Clubs that also participated; Hinckley-Pine City Flames, Faribault Sno-Go, Ideal Snow Pro’s, RVTB Club, Benton County, Bayport Path Finders, East Cottage Grove Scramblers, Stillwater Snow Lords and Washington County Association of Snowmobile Clubs. Sorry if I missed anybody. We had 65+ bags to unload into the buckets.

Keep saving your tabs and turn them into the 2025 Rendezvous. For more information on how to join our cause, contact Sandy Doherty (threegamesandy@aol.com) or Steve Blake (sblake905@hotmail.com) (Scott County Sno-Trails Snowmobile Club). Thanks again!

SPRING MEETING

The MnUSA Spring meeting is right around the corner! We are hoping that many of you will join us in wrapping our season (or lack thereof this year!) and start preparing for next winter!

Dates: April 26-28, 2024

Where: Arrowwood Lodge @ Brainerd Lakes

Cost: FREE (an optional lunch for $10 will be available)

A block of 50 rooms are on hold with Arrowwood with special event pricing.

REGISTER HERE NOW!

MARCH 2024 EVENTS

Please check all local clubs for cancellation updates first!

March 2: Marshall County Driftskippers Club Ride

March 2: Naytahwaush Nightriders 54th Annual Snodeo

March 2: Le Sueur County Snowmobile Trails Association Vintage Show and Ride

March 2: Rice Creek Trail Association Big Marine Lake Vintage Sled Show

March 6: Elk Lake Easy Riders General Club Meeting

March 8: Lengby-Fosston Knight Riders Monthly Meeting

March 9: CANCELLED Lengby-Fosston Knight Riders Spring Shootout Races

March 13: Marshall County Driftskippers Club Meeting

March 17: Dalton Snow Thrashers Club Meeting

March 23: Warren Sno-Cat Riders Inc Spring Bingo

March 24: Sauk Centre Sno-Cleats Landowner and Club Member Appreciation Dinner

Visit www.mnsnowmobiler.org for more information and to see the full MnUSA Calendar!

OFFICE UPDATES

WE ARE MOVING!

We know, we know, the questions you must have! Where? When? WHY?

WHERE? Ramsey, MN!

New Address:

14000 Sunfish Blvd NW Suite L

Ramsey, MN 55303

GOOGLE MAP

WHEN? SOON! The new lease will start on April 1st. We will start moving the office right away with hopes to be completely out of the Brooklyn Park office within a week or two.

WHY? After review of our current lease and the costs with utilizing both an office space and a separate storage unit, the hunt began to see if there was a solution for a cheaper option where we could combine both office and storage. Much to our excitement, we found a few options and at a significant savings! At the Winter Rendezvous, the board approved unanimously to move our office to the Ramsey location we found!

Feeling up to helping us move? Let the office know! We need help sorting, boxing and moving the office from Brooklyn Park to Ramsey. There are decades of history so we need all the help you can offer! The schedule is as follows:

HELP NOW: We are already packing up the office and will go until we get it all done!

APRIL 1 – APRIL 5: We will slowly be moving over the necessities we need to make the office run the first week so nothing important is lost in the chaos of a big moving day. We will be running back and forth with service technicians and moving priority materials. Office support will be very limited this week.

APRIL 6: Saturday starting at 9am in Brooklyn Park. We will work until we finish moving between Brooklyn Park and Ramsey. Could be done by the end of the day, could take us much longer. Many hands make less work! COME JOIN US!

Main entrance to the building

Our own front door right into our suite

Where our suite is located

Loading door to our storage in the back

WEBSITE UPDATE

The new website and membership management system is rolling right along and we are getting ready to start our testing phase with test data!

Things are looking good and we excited to show the association all the things we were able to accomplish so far.

There are also some other issues that will need BOD approval should we move forward with some of the changes. Those items will be addressed at the Spring Meeting.

It is coming! We promise!

Region Directors will be able to see all the clubs and their information. Clicking into the clubs will give you even more contact information.

Clubs will see club information, club contact info, and officers

Clubs will also see their roster list with the option to pay for renewals or remove the member from their club. You will also see payment history!

QUICKBOOKS PAYMENTS ONLINE NOW AVAILABLE!

The office has set up QuickBooks Payment online and now has the ability to invoice any club or member for payment via credit/debit or ACH. If you would like to start utilizing online payments, please submit your roster to the office first with a request for an invoice. An invoice will then be emailed out to you for payment once the amount has been confirmed.

You can always still process your rosters by paper and check, and coming soon you will be able to process them right online through our new website!

ROSTER DATA ENTRY

Just a reminder to all clubs to please check your rosters when we send them back to you for any errors or omissions.

With the office move happening soon, roster will take a bit of back seat for the months of March and April. I will try to keep up every week, but it may be about 2 weeks if I am running behind on other projects.

We thank you for your understanding!

FEBRUARY MEMBER DATA

February Renewals: 1,269

Ind/Fam Club Members: 1210

Ind/Fam MnUSA Members: 14

Business Sponsors: 8

Business Members: 31

Clubs/Trail Assoc: 6

Total Memberships: 10,575

Ind/Fam Club Members: 9026

Ind/Fam MnUSA Members: 1081

Business Sponsors: 175

Business Members: 245

Clubs/Trail Assoc: 48

MEMBERSHIP MATERIALS

Membership materials have been mailed out to all members that have renewed or joined as of February 2024. If you are not receiving your membership materials or magazines, please reach out to the office as you may have a bad address on file.