This story was published in the March 9, 1995, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.

---

The Idaho State Snowmobile Association finished its state-spanning, fund-raising ride for the Winter Special Olympics this year with more than twice as much cash in hand as it raised last year.

“It was a great trip and we were just really happy with how it ended up,” said Jack Cole, ISSA president at Lewiston.

The group’s “Ride for the Gold” connected snowmobile clubs across Idaho in the fund-raising effort. In recent weeks, three torches — one each traveling with riders from Island Park, Salmon and Bonners Ferry — were carried south to Burley.

Saturday, Cole and other association officials joined the opening ceremonies for the Winter Special Olympics, which were staged at the Pomereile ski area nearby.

The riders raised a total of $22,000 this year, more than twice the $9,000 raised last year.

The Mount Harrison snowmobile club of Burley raised the most cash in the drive: $10,000.

The Sawtooth snowmobile club in the Wood River Valley raised $4,600 for the goal. The Lewis-Clark Snowdrifters raised $1,050 toward the total, Cole said.