Snowmobile Club Receives Grant for Trail Grooming Equipment

Snow Bounders Snowmobile Club receives federal Recreational Trails Program grant for Trail Grooming Equipment:
July 06, 2005 Cattaraugus County Building, Little Valley, NY

The Cattaraugus County Snow Bounders Snowmobile Club
has been awarded a federal Recreational Trails Program grant in the
amount of $72,094 for the purchase of trail maintenance equipment. The
grant will fund the purchase of a groomer with a multi-blade drag and
U-front that can be used to groom and clear brush along trails for such
uses as snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hiking, equestrian,
jogging, interpretive/nature, and snowshoeing. The Snow Bounders Snowmobile Club
currently maintains over 150 mile of trails in Cattaraugus County,
including the newly opened Pat McGee Trail, a 12.4 mile multi-use trail
running from the Village of Cattaraugus to the City of Salamanca.

The
Snow Bounders grant is one of 23 that were recently announced by
Governor George E. Pataki for trail-related projects across the State
as part of the federal Recreational Trails Program. The total awarded
to New York State was nearly $1.6 million.

"The
Empire State's vast trail system offers a wide variety of opportunities
for four-season recreation and exciting outdoor activities for New
Yorkers and visitors,"

Governor Pataki said.
New York has one of the most extensive trails systems in the nation
with more than 20,000 miles of trails among public and private lands
that are maintained by state and local municipalities and motorized and
non-motorized trail group volunteers.

State Parks
administers the federal matching grant program providing funding to
state and local governments, not-for-profit organizations,
corporations, and partnerships for the maintenance, renovation,
development, acquisition and construction of trails and trail-related
facilities. Funding is provided through the Federal Highway
Administration's Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA-21), Recreational Trails Program.

Lynn LeFeber, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Grants In Aid representative for the Allegany Region, said

"Our
Agency is extremely pleased to have helped in the application process
and look forward to working with the Snow Bounders to obtain a new
groomer and widen their trails. They worked very hard to present a good
application and were able to achieve the highest rate for the region.
The new groomer should enhance the snowmobile experience for years to
come."

Tom Livak, Director of the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism, said

"The
dedicated volunteer base of the Snow Bounders and the other eight
Cattaraugus County Federation Clubs has created a tremendous tourism
infrastructure and potential economic engine for small businesses in
our County. This grant provides additional resources for these
volunteer-based clubs to improve trail conditions that will certainly
contribute to safety and enjoyment of snowmobiles and other winter
activities on our trails."

Kevin Thalheimer, President of the Snow Bounders Snowmobile Club said,

"This
new groomer will allow us to maintain our trail system in top-notch
condition. We truly appreciate the hard work and long hours that Sheri
Webster contributed to securing the grant. She is a perfect example of
the dedicated volunteers that are members of the snowmobile clubs of
Cattaraugus County."

The Snow Bounders Snowmobile Club
was incorporated in 1969 and currently has over 90 members. The Club is
also a member of the Cattaraugus County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs,
Inc. The Snow Bounders
hold their meetings on the second Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at
the Little Valley American Legion on Route 353 in Little Valley. For
more information on the Club contact Sheri Webster at 257-3737 or visit
them online at www.SnowBounders.com.