By Nancy Kelly
Novanewsnow.com
Members of the Annapolis Valley Lake and Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club honoured the accomplishments of one of their own at their first meeting of the 2012/13 season.
In May, Tyler Ryerson of Aylesford was named the Snowmobile Association of Nova Scotia’s (SANS) Youth of the Year.
Awarded annually, the SANS Excellence Award for Outstanding Youth is presented to an under-18 member who has demonstrated volunteerism, safety, promotion, and community outreach in a SANS-member club.
As the Nova Scotia winner, Ryerson was automatically entered in the Canadian Congress of Snowmobile Organisations (CCSO) competition.
On June 9, at the closing dinner of the 44th annual meeting of the International Snowmobile Congress, hosted in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Ryerson was awarded the CCSO’s national award for Canadian youth.
The 17 year-old’s “great passion for snowmobiling and dedication to quality of work and willingness to help” was highlighted, as was his work as a volunteer trail groomer. After earning his Nova Scotia tractor license, Ryerson dedicated over 30 hours to groomer operator training and then put in 135 hours grooming the AVLRR’s network of trails.
“Tyler is a hard worker within our club and we are very proud that he has received these awards,” noted club member Jack Hamilton.
Named the national snowmobile club of the year in 2010, the AVLRR has established and maintains an extensive network of snowmobile trails in the Valley. Members meet the first Thursday of the month at the Waterville fire hall. All snowmobile enthusiasts are welcome to attend.
