On Jan. 20 [1988], a group of 12 snowmobile riders and their support staff stopped in Tisdale. The riders were involved with Multiple Sclerosis’ Ride For Hope.
The ride began Jan. 15 at the Polaris snowmobile plant in Roseau, Minnesota, U.S.A. and arrived in Castor, Alta. on Jan. 23, in time for Castor's Winterfest. The ride is a total of 2,420 kilometres.
This year the cavalcade ran into a problem with a lack of snow, having to trailer their snowmobiles much of the way from Winnipeg to Russell, Man.
Event organizer Roger Pillman of Castor said the stretch from Hudson Bay to Tisdale was some of the best snowmobiling they had encountered on the ride this year. Pillman originated the idea of the ride to raise awareness of the disease of Multiple Sclerosis and to raise funds for the MS Society. Last year was the first year the ride was devoted to Multiple Sclerosis, and through the efforts of the riders involved in 1987 over $17,000 was raised.
This year the ride has seen up to 32 snowmobiles involved, but by the time the group reached Tisdale, only 12 were still on the ride. However, Pillman expected they would be picking up additional riders on the way to Alberta.
Of the 12 riders visiting Tisdale, they came from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia and Massa, U.S.A.
The group was hosted at a noon lunch in Tisdale by a group of local people led by Diane Krzysik, sister-in-law to Ben Krzysik of Grand Prairie, Alta. Ben Krzysik, one of the riders, suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, as do 50,000 other Canadians. The lunch was held at the Crown Hotel, which graciously donated the room for the event.
Mayor Maurice Taylor was asked to become an impromptu master of ceremonies. He welcomed the riders on behalf of the town, and then presented each of those involved with the ride with a commemorative pin of Tisdale, along with a donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Gordon Denton, administrator of Tisdale Union Hospital, made a donation to the ride m behalf of the hospital staff.
A donation of $250 to the ride was also presented by Mrs. Dorothy Murton of McKague. The money was raised from various individuals in the Loring, Lightwoods, Beech Grove and McKague districts.
Although a final figure for donations on the ride will not be available until they reach Castor, a group spokesman said they had already surpassed last year's total of $17,000 and they hope to raise in the $22-$25,000 range. As the Ride For Hope snowmobilers left Tisdale they filled up with gas at Park Service who helped the cause by donating the $113 worth of gas.
Pillman said the ride will be held again in 1988 and will pass through Tisdale on the same date next year. It is hoped things will be more organized for the ride in Tisdale next year, with a local group organizing the event.
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