Ken Ferch, left, representing Neelby-Grainview Snowblow Club, and Wayne Johanson, right, of Highland Snowblow Club, presented cheques totalling $8,983.94 to Kipling District Health Foundation Wednesday. Centre is Foundation Secretary Lorne Rygh.

For many years rural residents relied on “snowblow clubs” to keep their roads passable in the winter.

These were localized cooperative ventures to which each farmer would contribute.

Typically, a group of neighbours would meet each fall to determine which of them would take on the job for the ensuing winter and to strike a budget. Often the operator would be the one with the most powerful tractor, capable of running the mounted plow owned by the group.

Many times a single heavy snowfall would mean an entire day would be spent blowing snow, since a club might be responsible for 20 miles or more of roads.

Each farmer would then contribute his or her share of the projected expenses, usually $100-$200 per year each. In winters with lots of snow, this amount might have been adjusted at a later date, at which time each would contribute more.

Snowblow clubs were common during the 1950’s and most continued to operate through the 1980’s, at which time rural municipalities began to take on the job of snow removal on roads and laneways. Once that happened, most snowblow clubs ceased operation. This meant disposing of assets, namely, the snow blowers themselves. The money realized was often banked, along with any cash that might be in the coffers at the time.

Recently, some of these clubs have been making an effort to deal with the funds on hand.

A means of distributing them equitably was not simple in all cases, particularly since members had contributed for a varying number of years.

Two of these, the Highland and Neelby-Grainview snowblow clubs, have decided to contribute their accounts to Kipling District Health Foundation.

Cheques were presented by these this week.

The Highland Snowblow Club, which has been inactive about 15 years, donated $4,559.08 to the health foundation. Highland had about 15 members when it was active. Its president was Wayne Johanson, and Linda Johanson was secretary.

Neelby-Grainview Snowblow Club’s donation amounted to $4,424.86. Its last president was Kenneth Dash, and Randy Dash was secretary. Ken Ferch made the cheque presentation.

It was noted that since one of the club’s account had been dormant for some time, the account had been turned over to the Bank of Canada. It was recovered using Bank of Canada’s well-defined but very detailed process for doing so. But it did take some time. The process involves, among other stipulations, that the club’s legal signators endorse the transaction.

All worthwhile, though, as the Kipling District Health Foundation has benefited to the tune of nearly $9,000 as a result.

A spokesman said a donation to the Health Foundation was seen as being of benefit to the health care system and therefore in some way to all surviving members of the clubs.