(This letter was written in 1977 to help new members understand past happenings at the clubhouse.)

In the beginning there were a few machines, owned by a few snowmobilers in the Zelie area. Occasionally they got together at a local farm, tavern or restaurant and rode together ---where they could, in a very limited area.

An idea, probably over a beer, was instituted to get together, advertise and meet, maybe get a couple officers and start a club or some sort, maybe even get into P.S.S.A or something, later.

And so it was. They met, elected officers, started an incorporation proceedings, spent lots of someone’s time on phones and someone’s money, called lawyers, called members, called newspapers, etc. They thrashed out a set of by-laws to cover their immediate needs, talked about trails, racing etc.

A couple of years, some thirty-six meetings later, several officer changes, a few committee changes, some dances, parties, and so on, we all decided, we kind of liked one another. We had visited the national forest to ride, we had labored hard on abandoned fields to make a polished track, we invited outsiders to ride, we carried water, food, fuel, we had fun, and we made money. We raffled sleds, booze, had flea markets, auctions, etc. We donated time, material and more time and materials. We worked long hot days into the night, still meeting, still being on committees, still being officers, committee heads, workers, servers, and we even rode, when there was snow----and sometimes there wasn’t. We spent many hours, and many beers, spit polishing engines, to race, and we won, and we made money for our club. We had picnics --- the best, we swam, we had corn, wiener roasts and the like, along with hayrides, cookouts, swim parties. We were united, we were having fun and each and every one of us worked and talked snowmobiles and made money.

Then along came Highland Corners, PA., the Allegheny National Forest, after we had looked at a bunch of properties around Butler, Beaver, and Lawrence counties. We had a committees to do this, to contact landowners, seek out land, etc.

A very small majority voted to buy an old run down store, at Highland, and make it a riding club house. This majority was so small, we decided to vote again and still the majority voted to buy, small but never the less, the majority. Now, more committees were formed, to see banks, lawyers, property owners, etc, etc. Guys and gals missed work or neglected business at home, to perform these tasks---they used their own gas, bought their own food and put up with their own discomfort to see our wishes.

The Pennsylvania Snowseekers, Inc. as we were known, by few, were in debt, had an old shell of a store---service station, a couple of bucks, some $5,000 of them, a mortgage and nothing to work with except some talented, generous snow loving people, who had decided to give it their all---if need be, to make a club house, a place to sleep, to get warm, or party or ride from, and back to!

Here also we worked and worked. We made tables, benches, counters, walls, kitchens, wash rooms, a fireplace, dug up super hard concrete, busted people’s tools—which they fixed or replaced themselves, we made signs, all kinds of lights, new electric services and outlets, new lighting, new pictures and frames, salad bars, plumbing and gas lines by the loads, new hot water tanks and pump work. Another guy gave us a furnace, duct work, fittings, then helped put them in. We worked on coating the roof, stuccoed the walls, trimmed, painted by the gallons inside and outside, fixed windows, caulked windows, scraped windows, cut down twenty or thirty trees, burned brush, cut grass planted grass, filled holes, worked on septic system, sewer system, made shelves. Every inch of pipe, every nail, and there are thousands, screws, two by fours, doors, door jambs, sinks, commodes, wire, boxed and all were donated and installed by Snowseekers, and sometimes, their friends.

Also, there were weekend trips to work by the scores. Every vehicle that left home base was loaded to the gills with supplies which had already been moved several times to gathering points, just to get them ready to load. Next, the trip---then unload everything. Convoy after convoy left Zelie with loads of beds, furnishings, games, chairs, food, stones, cement, sand, mortar, lumber, bricks, picnic tables. You name it, they moved it, and nailed, cemented, or put it into place in its new home, "Highland Haven".

Many, many times they worked late into the night and were back up early Sunday to get a good days work in before returning home. They moved out four super heavy freezers, lots of old shelving, junk and more junk, hauled it home, broke it up, burned it up, anything to get rid of it. Hammers were banging always, saws were humming, jack hammers pounded, sewing machines hummed, drapes were made, old appliances were scrubbed and scoured, people always had to be fed and cleaned up afterward. Trash had to be removed each weekend, back home.

Through it all, we still had fund raiser, Christmas in July, ox-roast, spaghetti dinners, feeding hunters, boarding hunters, catering to hunters. Up at four A.M.---feed them breakfast, clean up, pack their lunches, feed them supper.

Cut wood, tons of it for our fireplace, haul it, stack it, split it up and burn it. All tools donated, chain after chain dulled, can after can of gas, oil and truck fuel used. Burn it, and go back for more. Wood cutting permits, meetings with forestry, D.E.R., P.S.S.A., etc.

We decided we would be club of the year. We made "Club of the Year" over some seventy-six other clubs in our state. We decided we would hold the states annual trail ride. We did and were successful. We built a rescue sled around an old sleigh which was also donated by a member family. All the parts, covering, wood, paint and first-aid components were donated for this. All of our steam tables, dishes, silver, pots and pans, grilles, toasters, appliances, etc., etc., were donated. Someone had to haul them all up---they did.

We have committees to take care of beer, food, social members, etc. All hard workers, all for the club. They hold meetings. They use their own time and lots of their own money. We have a committee for our big raffle, to record all the fifty weeks incomes, make arrangements with restaurant owners, cooks, band, bartenders for our banquet, which is a big beautiful success.

We have people working at state level with P.S.S.A., using their own time, fuel, money to attend meetings, half way across the state, lodging, entertaining, etc., and etc.

We bought a twenty eight hundred dollar ($2800.00) groomer, a four hundred dollar ($400.00) trailer, three hundred dollars ($300.00) insurance, tons of phone calls to dealers, D.E.R., forestry service, meetings with state men to run equipment, arrangements for fuel, repairs, committees to handle the groomer, check on people, see to repairs----all donated time!

We had gas pumps put in, pumped septic tanks, repaired things, changed locks, got decals for sleds, license plates for cars, patches for clothes, you name it----we did it, or are planning to do it.

We raised money for Kane Ambulance, we dealt with land owners and forest management. We helped people and land owners in our mountain community, they helped us! We are in the newspapers, P.S.S.A. news, on T.V., and we are, oh! So active.

We gripe, complain and sometimes bitch, but we get the job done and done right. We cater to one and all who enter our club house. We get them fuel, food, shelter, parts and repairs. We look out for the snowmobiler. We work in their interest. We love it. We thrive on it. If you become a part of our club, we expect this same spirit from you and yours. We expect you to work, to get involved, to donate, to look for things to do to make our home in the mountains better, and in our home base (four counties), to serve our interests on committees, to take care of summer meetings, plans, etc. We can’t slow down and we don’t want to slow down. If we are busy, we don’t have time to complain, and we like it this way.

We are the "PENNSYLVANIA SNOWSEEKERS SNOWMOBILE CLUB, INC." We are a proud, hard working, family oriented, solid unit, that loves the feel of the snowmobile, the ride, the fun and the people and we welcome you to try us, you’ll like us. You will be us. We are ONE!