Catering woes

Catering at White Wolf is leaving the club high and dry.

After looking at the year's breakdown of finances, members at the White Wolf Snowmobile Club raised issues around bar and catering at the organization's annual general membership meeting and election of officers April 21.

Catering issues outlined

The floor was open for members to voice their concerns and they took turns pointing out catering didn't do so well this year; the caterers charged the club for supplies, they didn't pay for utilities or for use of the club, and there were some problems with bar and catering hours.

Pat Whiffen, who was re-elected as president of White Wolf Club at the AGM, said he doesn't want to fight with the caterers - people who come to the club like them - but he promised to do something about the problem.

Whiffen confronted caterers

For example, he said he confronted the caterers regarding some hours they put in; like the four hours they estimated it would take to clean up after a party.

He expressed there needs to be guidelines for hours they put in and a fee per plate needs to be charged for using the club.

Whiffen also entertained the idea of getting a volunteer manager to run the club.

Members question why IOC moved meetings

Club members at the AGM also feared IOC pulled its safety meetings from the club this year because the caterers were charging gratuities on top of the bill.

"IOC is very much behind this club," Whiffen responded. "They donate to the club. They donated $10,000 this year to the club for our operations and the trails. They're on side with us on different projects. It was an IOC decision not to come and do their safety meetings into town at all; that was misconstrued."

Face off with Labrador Winter Trails

Whiffen did identify a problem with Labrador Winter Trails, which charges White Wolf admittance and insurance for the use of its trails.

He said the organization can not keep sending money to Labrador Winter Trails like it has in the past, and associations and communities that use the trails should pay their share or White Wolf will pay nothing.

Highlighting the positives

Whiffen informed White Wolf sold 1,780 passes this year, which he thinks is on par with other years, but he believes if Cain's Quest came through this year, the club would have probably sold another 200.

He added the club is still pushing for enforcements of helmets and trail passes on its trails, and believes Labrador City's committee on snowmobile safety was a positive step forward.

He also noted Bloom Lake construction should finish this year, which should put an end to any disruptions and the trails should be in good shape.

Hoped for new president

Whiffen admitted he was hoping someone else would come forward to take his position as president.

"There's still some issues we have with the club that I'd like to get done," he stated. "I have some work to do, so I'm gonna stay another two years, try to get that done."

"Normal running of the club is pretty straightforward," he added. "You pay your employees, you pay your bills, and you sell passes, and everything works pretty good. We got good employees and a good executive."

Old and new around the table

Cal Saunders, vice-president, and Eldon Wheaton, director, will remain in their executive positions for another year, but there were some new faces elected to sit around the table at the AGM.

Todd Kent is the group's treasurer, Kris Lee is the new secretary, Ford Kinden is a two-year director, and Colin Vardy is a one-year director.

Young blood

"I knew that there were some seats opening up through the Cain's Quest committee, that there were some issues there I could definitely help out with," said Colin Vardy. "It's a great chance to bring some stuff forward. In the past, most of the people have been the older crowd, there hasn't been so much young blood, so hopefully I can bring in a new aspect to it."

He's 25 years old and owns a computer shop, so he hopes to apply his technical expertise to the club's website maintenance, Interac machines, and security system.

Anxious to help

"As a new director I don't really know what a lot of the issues are," he added. "I know one of the biggest things is the fuel surcharge on the groomer they're paying. They're paying road tax on their fuel when they're not on the road. So that's definitely one thing that has to be fought."

This young-gun has been involved with Cain's Quest and was director of the Labrador West Youth Centre, so he said he's familiar with the responsibilities of his position.