HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-01-25, Page 13b
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Elmira, Palmerston, Harristan, Brussels, ptwood� . OhIct n, MIIlbank, Newton, Clifford, Wallenstetn, Drayton, Mooreefield and Arthur Wednesday January 25 1984
Serving. over 25,900 homes tri. Listowel, Wingham, Mount Rarest', Milverton, �Im n •� .
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BANNER YEAR—The year 1981 was the best to date as far as Snowarama pledges
are concerned. Over $30,000 was raised in the Brucb�'egion that year for physical-
ly disabled children and organizers hope this year's, t J- 10th Snowarama, will be an
even larger financial success. In this photo from 19. 1,'snowmobilers Lloyd Benn-
inger and Al Tilson check in with members of the Wingham Lions Club.
•
GET ON O..VER THERE—A rider, with a little lelp from a friend, urged a recalcitrant
snowmobile across a narrow bridge in the 108 Snowarama. The machine obviously
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didn't trust -the flimsy -looking structure.
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THIS YEAR'S TAMMY—Little Jennifer Wall, the daughter' of Betty Ann and Doug
Wall of Teeswater, is this year's Tammy for the. Bruce Region. Jennifer, born with
' spina bifida, is one of almost 125 physically disabled children in the Bruce area alone:
Each year thousands- of handicapped children across the province are helped
through the Snowarama for Easter Seals.
Snowmobil
Ii' SII iI�� •i1"
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4-+ . -
clubs gearing up f
10th annual Snowarama for Timmy
Over hill, over dale, they ride the snowy
trails — all for physically disabled children.
This year. marks the '10th Timmy
Snowarama, for Easter Seals and ,
snowmobile clubs all over the area are
planning to make this year's the best yet.
In the Bruce Region, the annual
snowmobile rally for Timmy' IS scheduled
for. this Sunday,,Jan.. 29, with a alternate
bad -weather date of Feb. 4.
Since the first "Timmy Run" in 1975, over
$5 million has been raised for crippled kids.
But times have changed and Snowarama
organizers have tried to change right, along
with them.
FoiC example, this year for the first time
cross-country skiers will be taking part in
the action too, with 10 separate runs planned
for them in . different locales across the
province. .
But even with the addition of the cross-
country skiers, organizers still are looking
for ways to keep the interest in the run at its
peak. That's not always easy in light of'
tough economic times, high prices for
machines and fuel, plus poor weather
conditions.
Bob Purdy, president of the Bruce Region
Snowmobile Association, said these factois
have caused the local association to change
the run somewhat this year. Instead of one
large 100 -mile run, lt will be broken down
into five smaller runs of varying lengths.
However, the Wingham run will cover the
same 100 -mile course it has. in previous
years. .
The change was made "to help stimulate
more interest in the run," said Mr. Purdy.
Another change locally in this year's run
is that gas, oil and meals will not be sup-
plied. Mr. Purdy said this should help
reduce associationcosts and make it
possible "to return more monies to the
children who need our support."
Previously expenses had been deducted
from pledge money.
However, service clubs in the region still
will be manning the checkpoints and
providing free coffee and dqTuts along the
way. Some clubs, like the Wingham Lions,
are even donating meals to cold and hungry,
riders fresh off the trails.r
ORIGINS OF THE RUN
Away back in 1971, a wrestler named
CHECKPOINT, --The first checkpoint after leaving Mildmay"in
the 1978 run was Neustadt, where the riders had to stof and
get their bardS, initialed to prove they' were still, on course
l5
Chuck Vessey, Jim Bain and Bill Crump were among a group of
30 riders from the Wingham Snowmobile Club who took part in
that year's Snowarama.
A
by Margaret Arbuckle
Whipper Billy Watson Was seriously injured
in a car cra'Sh. The accident meant an end to
his wrestling Career, but it was the start of a
whole. new cause — helping crippled
children.
While in a hospital in Newmarket after the
accident, Mr. Watson thought it should have
a therapeutic pool. installed. He petitioned
government and hospital officials, but after
two years he realized he'd have to. go by the
old maxim: If you want something done you
have to do it yourself.
So he did do it. He and some of his friends
organized'a snowmobile _rally at Bradford
on Lake Simcoe as well as a local telethon.
All in all, $54,000 was raised: enough for the
pool and some left over. The Snowarama
was born.
At around the same time, the Ontario
Society for Crippled Children (Easter Seals)
was finding. itself hard . pressed to raise
funds for its operations. The snowmobile
clubs throughout the province were looking
for a worthwhile cause too.
Taking advantage of an ideal situation,
Mir. Watson (a long-time crusader for
taster Seals) worked With the two groups to
organize the first Snowarama for Timmy in
1975. A total of 12 rallies were held that year
throughout the province. This year there
will be 28 in Ontario alone and the idea has
spread to provinces like Manitoba and
Alberta and to the United States.
Just as a hatter of interest, that first ride
on Lake Simcoe has survivedand today is
known as the "Corporate Ride", including
representatives from business and govern-
ment in the worthwhile cause.
HOW IT GREW
The Snowarama seemed to take off im-
mediately, although it has been through
thick and thin.
• Last year was definitely a lean one.
Thousands of dollars in pledges were lost
simply because there was not enough snow
to hold rallies in most areas.
But there have been banner years for the
Snowarama too. For example in 1981,
$30,000 was raised in the Bruce region and a
record 313 riders participated.
•
This year there should be no lack of snow.
Organizers hope to top that $30,000 mark of
three years' ago and add to the $185,000
already raised locally.
Half the money raised in each rally goes -to
help physically disabled children right in the .
region, with the remainder going to Easter
Seals. There are an estimated 125 physically
• handicapped children in the Bruce region
alone.
The money raised goes toward things like
wheelchairs, artifical limbs and trips to
summer camps for these youngsters. .
Mabel Woodhouse; a visiting health nurse
in the area, said that like everything else ,
these articles have gone up dramatically in
cost in the past few years. For example, an
electric wheelchair can cost up to $5,000.
' And with things like wheelchairs, the
families of disabled children need ramps
installed in their homes and eveh vans to
transport the children.
The Kppferschmidt family of Mildmay
had an intercom system,, installed. in its
home so the, parents always could hear son
Brian, last year's Bruce region Timmy.
Though Whipper Billy Watson no longer is
overall fund-raising chairman of the
Snowarama, it still is being spearheaded by
dedicated people. Canadian television
personality Don Harron (Charlie
Farquharson) led last year's drive and this
year Canadian athlete Brian Budd is at the
helm. `
The Snowarama for Timmy has survived
10 long years. Those in charge. no doubt hope
it will be able to continue forever, but in the
meantime, as Mr. Purdy said, the main
object of these rallies is still to help disabled
children "turn their disabilities into
abilities".
LISTOWEL'S RIDE
Get in shape and pray for that fluffy white
stuff. Listowel's ride will be Sunday, Janu-
ary 29th with approximately 40 miles of
trails to cover. Registration will be at the
Listowel Sales Barn Sunday, January 29th
from 9 - 11 a.m. Meanwhile should you need
any further information re pledges, , etc.
please contact John S. Irvine, Listowel,
Ontario, telephone 291-4313 or Bert Johnson
291.2835. This event is sponsored locally by
the Listowel Rotary Club. ,
See you On the 29th. (Marilyn Wine).
t.