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$17,000 raised in Mica Mountain fundraiser

‘We want to add a plough truck or grader’
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Stephanie Zimmerman looking at auction items being sold to raise money for the Mica Mountain Riders at the Iron Horse Pub in Lone Butte on Jan. 27. Brendan Kyle Jure photo.

The Mica Mountain Riders Association hosted a full-house fundraiser at the Iron Horse Pub in Lone Butte on Jan. 27, selling 114 tickets to the event.

“It ended up being really good,” said Tammy Ramsay-Henderson, club treasurer/spokesperson. “We are a small association so I mean, it’s cool we can have such a successful fundraiser within the community.”

Roughly $17,000 was raised through silent and regular auctions, getting them closer to their goal of $50,000. The proceeds will be going directly back into the club, allowing them to get a plough truck or a grader, allowing the club to keep the mountain safe and accessible.

“Right now, the trail is quite long because they’re not logging out there,” said Ramsay-Henderson. “We want to add a plough truck or grader so we can keep that road open so we can drive into the parking lot.”

Without the grader or truck, the drive is a 37-kilometre snowmobiling effort and at times could be dangerous or inaccessible.

Membership was also a centrepiece of the event.

“We all know there’s a lot of people that aren’t buying memberships that are riding. So, it’s not doing anyone any favours by not participating and supporting a snowmobiling club. We know there’s a lot of people that ride up on our mountain. We are going to be also putting it more publically out there - who has memberships, so everyone can see who does and doesn’t have one.” said Ramsay-Henderson.

The list will be sent out through email, the club’s Facebook page and on the trailhead. It publically recognizes those people who do have a membership, sort of a pat on the back but also can act as a deterrent for people who don’t have a membership.

There are benefits to having a Mica Mountain Riders Association and B.C. Snowmobile Federation membership, the biggest part being liability insurance. If someone is caught by police or the Ministry of Forests without insurance, they can face dire consequences including heavy fines and/or having their sled confiscated.

Other benefits include benefits from various hotels in the province, subscription to SnoRiders Magazine and 25 per cent off insurance premiums. A membership for a year is $120 and can be purchased at Performance All Terrain, Cariboo Supply & Marine, South Cariboo Motorsports and Exeter Forest & Marine.