Regina Beach
A dedicated snowmobiler
Jeannie Brewer is the winner of the 2008 CCSO Excellence Award for Outstanding Snowmobiler
Jeannie Brewer had a “formula” wedding instead of a “formal” wedding. This involved formula suits provided by SkiDoo and the transportation of all the guests by snowmobile, which says a lot about the impact that snowmobiling has had on Brewer’s life.
Well-Deserved Recipient: Jeannie Brewer, the first woman to win the Excellence Award for Outstanding Snowmobiler, accepts her award to a standing ovation. —photo courtesy Jeannie Brewer
However, there is much more to be said about the impact that Brewer has had on snowmobiling. And for these reasons she is the 2008 winner of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) Excellence Award for Outstanding Snowmobiler.
It all started in 1966 when Brewer’s family moved to Regina Beach, Saskatchewan, where snowmobiling was a popular winter activity. “I just fell into it and never got out of it,” said Brewer.
Brewer was one of the founding members of the Last Mountain Lake Snowmobile Drifters Club in Regina Beach. She continues to volunteer for the club and is now the treasurer. She currently works for the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA) as the office manager. And eight years ago Brewer co-founded Prairie Women on Snowmobiles (PWOS), an organization of women who raise money for breast cancer research.
During a 12-year period Brewer has seen snowmobiling grow rapidly in Saskatchewan. In reference to her position at the SSA Brewer said “ . . . there was little to zero trails . . . we’ve created 10,000 kilometres of trails with 50 clubs maintaining those trails here in Saskatchewan.”
As for Brewer’s favourite trails, she prefers to head to her cabin in Endeavour, Saskatchewan. Ten years ago Brewer saw an ad in the Regina Leader-Post for a two-bedroom hunter’s special and the price was so good that she thought it was a misprint.
“It was in the heart of snowmobile country in the northeast of Saskatchewan where we would travel to go and ride,” said Brewer. Needless to say, she and her husband, Chris Brewer, bought the cabin and now spend much of their winter there, snowmobiling on extensive groomed trails.
Brewer loves the solitude of snowmobiling. “You’re really enjoying the outdoors, you’re really exercising your skills . . . you’re really in your own world and I think that’s what I like the most about it.”
Winning the CCSO Excellence Award for Outstanding Snowmobiler has been an exciting and emotional experience for Brewer. She feels that the award represents a victory for female snowmobilers and that her work with PWOS is a big part of why she won the award. She is inspired by their vision and accomplishments.
“These girls are from rural areas, they are farm girls, they are small-town girls and they take the time to ride seven days, 2,400 kilometres and pull together $1 million for breast cancer research,” said Brewer.
“So that is really what it (the award) means to me,” she said. “You’ve kind of built something and I don’t think it’s ever going to die and that feels good.”
Brewer mentions that the mission of PWOS is two-fold. Along with creating awareness and raising funds for breast cancer, the women showcase the sport of snowmobiling.
“In the end-all they are marketing the recreation of snowmobiles in Saskatchewan,” said Brewer. “And they get a lot of media coverage and that is what is good for the industry.”
Brewer accepted her award at the annual international snowmobile congress in Boise, Idaho.
“Well, it was emotional,” said Brewer, when asked what it was like to receive the award. “Because they all stood up and started clapping. I couldn’t believe it.” She feels that women, and especially PWOS, have set the bar pretty high in the world of snowmobiling.
“Now they’ve set the stage,” said Brewer. “And you know, women really contribute so much to snowmobiling.”
Brewer is not one to boast, but it is apparent that she, through her many accomplishments, has set the bar extremely high. Through her determination and hard work she has fostered the growth of snowmobiling in Saskatchewan. And Brewer’s desire to promote breast cancer awareness, raise funds and encourage women to ride for an important cause demonstrate that she truly is an outstanding snowmobiler and an outstanding individual.
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