A kick-off lunch was held Wednesday, Jan. 3 at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, Island View Restaurant, for the 2018 Snowarama for Easter Seals “Kids Crosses Borders” fundraiser that will start and finish Saturday, Feb. 10 in Grand Portage. In front are Zachary Pylychuk and Emilie Pike. In back, from left, are Rhonda Harrison, Tony Swader, Mary Anne Gagnon and Brittany Anderson.
Grab your helmets and winter gear because the coolest snowmobile event hits the trails on Saturday, February 10, kicking off the 2018 fundraising season for Easter Seals Ontario.
Once again, the Thunder Bay Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids will head south of the border to Grand Portage, only 45 minutes from Thunder Bay, attracting snowmobilers from across northwestern
Ontario and Minnesota to enjoy some of the finest groomed trails in northern Minnesota.
This year’s Easter Seals Kids ambassadors are Zachary Pylychuk, 14, and Emilie Pike, 7, both from Thunder Bay. Zachary has served as an Easter Seals ambassador for this event for the past 11 years, and this is Emilie’s second consecutive year in this role.
“This event in Grand Portage is the biggest Snowarama held anywhere,” said Rhonda Harrison, Senior Development Officer for Easter Seals, Ontario. “We attract more people and raise the most money of all of the Snowaramas,” she added.
Easter Seals Ontario was founded in 1922 as a vision to create a better life for children and youth with physical disabilities. Thanks to generous donors, Easter Seals continues to offer programs and services that allow kids to access essential mobility equipment and communication devices to help them be more independent.
“This is the 15th year of the Grand Portage Snowarama and we feel very privileged to have such dedicated support from Grand Portage Lodge and Casino along with all of the other local sponsors and riders who make this event a big success year after year,” said Kevin Collins, president and CEO, Easter Seals Ontario.
All Snowarama participants will enjoy a complimentary dinner and live Saturday night entertainment, featuring Tempted Fate. Snowarama is truly a family event: participants can enjoy the trails, a bonfire and prizes throughout the weekend. Minnesota trail permits are $51 (available at Ryden’s 66) and will be required for those riders who venture off the Grand Portage trails. Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, the Grand Portage Trail Riders, and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa generously sponsor the event.
To celebrate the 15th year at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino, with every $100 participants raise, they will receive a ballot to win one of 15 Snowarama gifts, including a trip to Las Vegas, and many more!
Over the past 15 years, the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino Snowarama has raised more than $410,000 for children and youth with physical disabilities. Funds from this event help provide financial assistance for children with physical disabilities for essential mobility and communication equipment and fully accessible summer camping opportunities.
Who is helped?
Kids who have a variety of physical disabilities and medical conditions, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, Rhett syndrome, and spinal cord injuries.
Of the families that asked for assistance from Easter Seals in 2017, and self-reported their income, 61 percent cited a total family income of under $60,000, and 24 percent had a total family income of under $20,000.
Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids would not be a success without the support of the local snowmobiling community. Together, said Harrison, “We are helping kids BE KIDS.”
Individuals, sponsors and foundations fund Easter Seals programs and services entirely through donations.
For more information or to donate, visit Snowarama.org.
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