Bay State Trail Riders Association, Inc. has a busy schedule of events, including trail rides, work days, meetings, etc. Use our calendar and map to stay up to date on everything we have planned, to select events you would like to attend, and to get registration information. You can even register online.
Our rides are fun and social, and you ride at your own pace on marked trails through state forests and other locations. After the ride catch up with old friends and meet new friends over lunch served to registered riders.
BSTRA ANNOUNCES CAPE COD GETAWAY OPPORTUNITY DRAWING WINNER
Cary VandenAkker was the lucky winner of BSTRA’s Cape Cod Get Away Opportunity Drawing! Cary’s winning ticket was drawn in front of the lunch crowd at our Patriotism Benefit Ride on October 10th.
We couldn’t be happier for Cary, who was our Douglas State Forest Supervisor for many years and is currently DCR’s BLST Complex Field Operation Team Leader. He is a hard worker who really deserves a get away, especially since Cary, Chuck Stone and other DCR workers spent the whole day before the ride clearing up downed trees from the storm that had come through our area so we could hold our ride the following day.
Cary’s reaction to the good news was, “Oh my goodness!! I can’t believe it. I can’t remember winning anything.”
Cary said that his wife really loves the Cape and is very much looking forward to their stay there.
Congratulations, Cary, and thank you for all your hard work at DCR.
BSTRA’s 28th Annual National Trails Day, sponsored by Yered Trailers, originally scheduled for last June was rescheduled and finally held on October 17th. The rescheduling was due to park closures in June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Patience paid off, because we ended up having a gorgeous day for our event at Great Brook Farm State Park. We were able to get permission from DCR to delay our start time due to morning rain, and by the time setup began and check-in started the sun was out.
Riders signed in and received their Participant Gift Bags (including an insulated lunch bag from Yered Trailers, BSTRA umbrella, treats from Equus Magnificus and Dimples, a sampling of Platinum Performance Equine and Essential Equine Liniment, and a coupon from Cabot Cheese Company. Then, starting at 11:30, everyone enjoyed a Covid compliant lunch before riding out on the beautiful trails of Great Brook for our 7-mile ride. Upon return from the ride they helped themselves to homemade cookies and cake for dessert.
Then came the Awards for the Top Participants who collected sponsorships and submitted them with their Sponsor Papers. This years Top 10 and Runners Up all received some pretty fabulous gifts in recognition of their efforts to raise money for trails. The following are our Top Participants for 2020. 1st Place: Lynn Paresky; 2nd Place: Becky Kalagher; 3rd Place: Donna Johnson; 4th Place: Sue Quirk; 5th Place: Kathy Richards; 6th Place: Crysanda Boisvert; 7th Place: Sue Sanders; 8th Place: Kirsten Hodges; 9th Place: Diane Sullivan; 10th Place: Rita Ballou; Honorable Mention: Rose Zariczny, Carolyn & Justin Weeks, Sue Freeman and Annamaria Paul. They all did a great job!
Special thanks go out to all our business sponsors who donated the items which made up their Award prizes: Real Steel, Cashel, Equinety, Forever Fork, The Mane Place, Select the Best, Crysanda’s Flair, Lisa’s Soap Kitchen, Cabot Cheese Company, and Sew Special by Joan. Your donations made the day extra special!
Our National Trails Day wouldn’t be complete without having an outrageous raffle, and this year’s raffle did not disappoint! More than $4,500 in items and gift certificates were on this year’s table, and there were lots of winners who went home with great items.
It really takes a village to put on this event, and BSTRA wants to thank all the volunteers who helped make this event a success: Lynn Paresky, Sue Quirk, Donna Johnson, Kelly and Jim Shaw, Sue Sanders, Deb Deschenes, Mark Kaminsky, Becky Kalagher, Karen Parlin, Mary Ceaser, Donna Michelson, Annamaria Paul, MaryEllen Coyne, Crysanda Boisvert and Kathy Rich. Lunch was possible thanks to our food sponsors, Wegmans, BJ's, Roche Brothers, Walmart, and Stop & Shop.
BSTRA would also like to thank everyone who dismounted and kicked their horse’s poop off the trail. This was a new requirement by Great Brook this year. Thank you for leaving Great Brook clean when you left!
We hope to be able to have the 50 person restriction long gone by next year’s National Trails Day Fundraiser and hope to see you there!
A number of people who attended our National Trails Day Fundraiser have asked where do they get those gorgeous steel farm signs which were awarded to the top 6 participants. The answer to your question is: Go to www.realsteelcenter.com and view the multitude of different styles and various sizes. When you order, make sure to use CODE: BSTRA25 to get a 25% discount as well as free shipping.
Real Steel is wonderful to do business with, and BSTRA is grateful to have them as one of our Platinum Business Sponsors.
RealSteel - Decorative Steel Artwork and Custom Crafted Monograms
www.realsteelcenter.com
Hand Crafted Personalized Steel Wall Décor. Made With Pride In Texas Using American Steel.
