Organizers hope for bad weather for annual event

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February 3, 2010

By Pete Chiodo The Meadville Tribune Wed Feb 03, 2010, 11:08 PM EST

Ginny Eaton can’t wait until the weather improves. And it being February in northwestern Pennsylvania, it’s doubtful she’s alone there. However, Eaton’s version of “improved weather” probably differs a bit from most folks.

Eaton wants some snow.

“We have to have at least 4 inches of snow,” said Eaton. “We need the white stuff.”

Eaton, a resident of Espyville, is director of the Pymatuning Trailblazers Snowmobile Club. And on Saturday, the club is hosting its 34th annual Winter Fun Day at the Jamestown Marina at Pymatuning State Park from 8 a.m. all the way to 10 p.m.

But without the white stuff, the day isn’t going to be real wintry, and the fun part will be knocked down a couple of notches, too.

So, Eaton and the Trailblazers have their fingers crossed that the weather cooperates ... by dumping on everybody.

It would be a step up from last year.

“Last year, the weather was bad,” said Eaton. “We had snow early on Saturday, but by the afternoon it was gone. And then on Sunday it rained. It just wasn’t a good weekend for what we wanted to do.”

And just what do organizers want to do at Winter Fun Day?

Well, weather permitting,

there’s going to be guided snowmobile trail rides for the adults (BYO snowmobile), ice skating, downhill sled racing, snowmobile rides for the kids, arts and crafts for kids, new and antique snowmobile displays, chainsaw carving, raffles, a hole-in-one contest (yes, golfing in the snow) and lots more.

All that is being packed into a single day this year. In years past, Winter Fun Days was a two-day event.

Why the change?

“I guess the main thing is the scarcity of help,” said Eaton. “It was hard getting help to come out for both days. We figured with one day it would be easier to get help, and it gives us more time for clean up and to take care of other things. We’re just trying it this year.”

While the event is one day shorter, that day will be a lot longer. This year’s Winter Fun Day goes well into the night and will feature some activities nicely suited to a winter’s evening — a bonfire, a DJ spinning tunes and even a laser light show.

All this is free, by the way. The only thing that costs money is the snack bar.

The Trailblazers Club just wants folks to come out and enjoy the winter instead of staying cooped up inside.

Keep the bathing suits at home, however. The formerly-annual “Go Jump In a Lake Incident” that ran concurrently with the Winter Fun Days, won’t be happening this year.

The event, hosted by the Greenville Area Leisure Services Association (GALSA), featured a group of hardy individuals diving into the frigid waters of Pymatuning Lake. It was — for some reason — a pretty popular activity.

But, “Galsa is not doing that this year,” said Eaton. “It wasn’t our program. But we wish they were doing it, because it brought a lot of people that might not come otherwise.”

Beat the winter blues with an outdoor event that has become one of the more popular annual get-togethers in the area. The Pymatuning Trailblazers Snowmobile Club’s Winter Fun Day at Pymatuning State Park is set for Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Activities will include snowmobile rides, displays, ice boating, ice skating, ice fishing, sled riding, hayrides, games, contests, food and fun for the entire family. The event will be held with or without snow.

- More information: Call (724) 932-3142 or visit pymatuning.com/WinterFunDays.htm

Pete Chiodo can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at pchiodo@meadvilletribune.com.

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Organizers hope for bad weather for annual event

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