FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 23, 2014

Media Contact: Charles Wiff - 518-326-6400 or 607-743-8314

New York State Snowmobile Association 2014 Annual Forum held at Rochester Riverside Convention Center

More than 600 industry representatives to attend from across New York State for educational programming and celebration of the sport

   #NYSSAForum     

ROCHESTER, NY - The New York State Snowmobile Association will host its 18th Educational Forum and Annual Meeting from April 25 to 27 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, bringing more than 600 snowmobiling enthusiasts who represent the $868 million industry to downtown Rochester for a long weekend of instructional seminars, exhibits, presentations and planning.

 

Delegates, presenters, vendors and special guests from across the state will convene to discuss issues pertaining to safety, trails, club operations and public affairs. Last year's Forum and Annual Meeting was held in Lake Placid, and drew more than 600 attendees from across the state, all of whom patronized revenue to local hotels, restaurants and retailers.

 

"Lake Placid was an excellent host to the Forum for the past two years. Holding our annual gathering in Rochester will make the event easily accessible to more of our members," said Dominic Jacangelo, Executive Director of NYSSA. "We are pleased registration numbers are high, and that so many vendors and qualified presenters will be joining us in Rochester for our Association's biggest weekend of the year."

 

There will be a great number of hands-on, visually rich presentations and exhibitions occurring throughout the weekend. Some will be for fun and recreation, and others will prepare club members for the volunteer work they do throughout the year maintaining the state's more than 10,000 miles of snowmobile trails.

 

"Volunteers from the 235 NYSSA clubs across New York State labor for many thousands of hours every year in both the winter and off-season to keep the trails open and in good condition," said Jim Rolf, Trail Coordinator for NYSSA. "It's a job that requires some unique skills and expertise to do safely, so the Forum presents an opportunity to get many volunteers under the same roof for some very beneficial classes on regulations and safety."

 

Attendees are also being advised of activities and attractions in Rochester to enjoy when they are not at the forum. In particular, they are being advised of the Rochester Red Wings games on April 26 and 27.

 

"The Forum is all about the sport of snowmobiling and making sure our members can make a good, positive impact in all they do, but it's also important they have some fun," said James Elmore, President of NYSSA. "We're looking forward to experiencing all Rochester has to offer, and supporting the local economy by patronizing downtown hotels, restaurants and businesses over the weekend of the Forum."

 

"The benefit of hosting a convention this large in the community is significant," said Don Jeffries, president and CEO of VisitRochester. "Convention attendees support local restaurants, shops, and the local economy in every way."

 

 

Events of note during the weekend (photo opportunities)

 

  • From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jason Dickerson, state-certified instructor, will give a presentation about chainsaw safety, complete with demonstrations. The class will also be held on Friday, from 1 to 5 p.m.

 

  • Kimberly Ferree will be giving detailed courses on First Aid and CPR throughout the convention.

 

  • On Saturday April 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the 5th Annual NYSSA Vintage Sled Show will be held. Vintage sled owners and enthusiasts will relive the history of the sport alongside the sleds of yesteryear.

 

  • On Saturday, from 2:10 to 3:30 p.m., members of the RIT Clean Sled Challenge Team will be on hand to show off their efforts on developing a zero-emission snowmobile.

 

  • Also on Saturday afternoon, from noon to 2 p.m., NYSSA will hold its annual awards banquet. Awards will be presented to celebrate the volunteer achievements of 2014 Family of the Year, Snowmobiler of the Year, Groomer Operator of the Year, Club of the Year, the President's Award recipient and the new Youth Snowmobiler award.

 

 

Note to editor: A video highlighting some of the events surrounding the 2013 Forum may be viewed here: http://youtu.be/btZ8CMi4Qd8 Media interested in accessing the Forum are asked to call ahead for further details on what the best times might be for visuals and access to NYSSA officials.

 

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The New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA), a non-profit corporation, is the largest snowmobile association in the country working on behalf of the 135,000 registered NY snowmobile owners, who contribute approximately $868 million to the New York economy, and 240 snowmobile clubs to improve trails, facilities and services for participants, and defend snowmobilers against discriminatory legislation.

 

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