The ski club would like to be done fundraising by the start of the next ski season. (ID 5028077 © Tyler Olson | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

winter sport

La Ronge Ski Club begins legacy fundraising project

Feb 12, 2025 | 2:46 PM

The La Ronge Ski Club is embarking on what’s being called a legacy project to bring the non-profit more in line with other ski clubs across the country.

That’s according to Director of Communications for the club Matt Mazurik, who explained members have started fundraising for a new trail maintenance machine ($31,900), youth skate skis ($11,100), a new seven-foot-wide grooming drag ($10,500), and a seacan storage container ($8,600).

“All of our trail maintenance right now is done by club volunteers with their own machines, which is a pretty unique situation,” he remarked.

“Most ski clubs in Saskatchewan and across Canada have their own towing machine for towing different things behind the machine to pack trails, level trails and set tracks, so the club is trying to get its own grooming system up and running.”

Mazurik noted it is a lot for volunteers to offer their time, but it is extra for them to have to use their own machine. He added a new machine (a quad with tracks and grooming capabilities) would lessen that burden, as well as increase the club’s capacity to do trail work. Also, there are some volunteers who are willing to participate in grooming, but they don’t have their own machine to do it.

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A new grooming drag would improve the quality of the local ski network for both classic and skate ski trails. A wider drag would allow volunteers to complete grooming of the trails in two cycles rather than four, saving time and kilometers on the maintenance machine.

The purchase of 20 sets of skate skis (skis, boots, bindings, poles) to lend to participants would ensure more kids can take part in the sport and enjoy being active in the outdoors. The seacan would be used to store all of the machinery and equipment.

“The two top priorities right now are the youth skate skis and the towing machine,” Mazurik said.

“Those are the first two things we want to have fall in place. Once those things are fundraised for, then we will look for a wider grooming drag.”

The club has been approved for the project with the National Sport Trust Fund, which is an organization that will receive donations on behalf of the club and distribute tax receipts for qualifying donations. Those interested in donating can reach the ski club by emailing larongenordic@gmail.com.

“We have been writing grants and applying for sponsorships,” Mazurik stated.

“It’s definitely not just by donation only because that’s a lot of money for a community to donate.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com