Brian Erickson’s tenure in snowmobiling started at the local club level and he has worked his way up the ranks from the local Club, to the State Level, to serving at various levels at the National level with ACSA.
At the local club level, Brians accomplishments include the following:
Town & Country Snowdrifters Club past President
Town & Country Snowdrifters past & present Vice President
Club Youth Safety Course Instructor 3 times and even sacrificed a snowmobile in 2011 for the cause (ask him about this, it is a great story ).
Four Lakes Trail System, responsible for trail section from Oldham to Ramona to Hwy 81 (16 miles) and now the Arlington to Lake Preston section (12 miles) and now part of the Bryant to Hwy 81 trail system (15 miles). Instrumental in helping connecting Four Lakes Trail System with other club trails in Eastern South Dakota.
T&C Snowdrifters Snowmobile Poker Run Chair and participant.
Co-chair the UTV/ATV Membership/Fundraiser Poker Run in 2020
Voting Delegate for Town & Country Snowdrifters numerous times
Co-chair Club & SDSA Promotion by exhibits in local town parades
At the State Level with SDSA, his leadership is noteworthy as the following:
SDSA Past – President 2017, 2018
SDSA President 2015, 2016
SDSA President – Elect 2013,2014
SDSA District 4 Delegate 2009 – 2012
Initiated as SDSA President, the development of the YETIS and helped recruit Johnny & Audrey Rider to serve as YETIS Coordinators
Governor’s Ride Group Leader from 2006 – 2018
SDSA Safety Committee Chair, while chair worked to receive a RTP Grant to fund the purchase of a safety simulator to help teach snowmobile safety to the youth.
SnoCross Committee Chair 2016-2020
Served on Main organizing Committee for South Dakota as host of 2016
Helped with Governor’s Ride coordination from 2014-2018
At the National Level with ACSA / ISC events Brian has contributed the following:
Attended ACSA DC-Fly-in for 5 years and SDSA Leadership Delegate at DC Fly-in for 3 years
MC’s 2016 National ISC Convention with Tracey Erickson
Coordinated Morning News and Recorded Narrative for each Day at 2016 ISC
2015 Attended ISC in New York, helped host SD Invitation Event
Recorded Narrative for ACSA Public Service Announcements
Co-recorded narrative for ACSA National award winners in 2019
Served as SDSA Voting delegate at ACSA Annual Meeting at ISC 2015 & 2016
Fundraising not only happens at all levels as a snowmobiler. It is essential to help keep the organization funded enabling the sport of snowmobiling to be represented and to help keep riding areas open.
As a club member Brian has supported efforts by selling poker hands, facilitating poker runs, collecting donations, selling club Football Books for scholarship funding, purchasing club sponsored tickets and auction items for SDSA fundraisers, and applying for grants to put in the trail system.
At the SDSA level Brian has helped garner auction items for the annual SDSA Silent and Live auctions at the convention from various businesses. He has sold numerous Everyone Wins Tickets, Football Fundraiser Books and 50\50 tickets throughout his tenure as a SDSA member. Brian has made personal donations to the Right to Ride Legal Defense Fund, Snowmobiler for Snowmobiler fund and also to ACSA for national issues. He has donated personal time, equipment and supplies in support of the SDSA organization. Such as hauling the SDSA trailer to various places and events across South Dakota, development and organization of the SnoCross Event booth, and personal use of sleds at the Governor’s Ride Events. Erickson Farms has also personally sponsored 2 gift baskets for the SDSA auction for the last two years and obtained gift certificates from Bear Lodge for the Auction. In addition, he has also financially supported the SDSA fundraisers by purchasing tickets and auction items along with personal out of pocket contributions as a representative of SDSA as their representative at various events while serving on the SDSA Board.
Additionally, as a volunteer Fireman for the Ramona Fire Department, he also continues to help fundraise for this organization by helping with their annual Rocky Mountain Oyster Feed and 4th of July celebration events each year. This involves not only cooking and prepping the meal, serving as MC, selling 50\50 tickets and clean-up after each event.
The Ericksons have also sponsored numerous other fundraisers including Snowmobiler’s for Snowmobilers fundraisers, other club Poker Runs Charity Events and other State Snowmobile Raffle Fundraisers and ISC Fundraisers.
Brian continues to represent the sport of snowmobiling and by promoting the sport and the organization to the public. A prime example is the club’s hosting of the recent ATV/UTV Poker Run. This event was co-chaired by Brian and Tracey Erickson. Brian personally spent many hours laying out the best route, for the trail, talking with others about the event and helping to organize it. It served multiple purposes, a membership drive, a fundraiser for a local youth with cancer and food drive for the Kingsbury County Food pantry. It was a successful day with over $1,885.05 raised for donations for Clay Misar, 2 large boxes of food for the Kingsbury County Food Pantry and 8 new memberships were obtained for the club and SDSA.
Brian also has taken great pride in chairing the SDSA Booth at the SnoCross event in Deadwood for the past five years. While coordinating SDSA’s presence at this event he has helped create greater awareness of attendees at the event by promoting SDSA as an organization. This event is nationally publicized and Brian has provided exposure about the organization through interviews, one on one conversations with attendees, add placements and helping with give snowmobile rides to youth at this event.
Nationally, Brian keeps abreast of snowmobiling issues facing our sport through various magazines and from SDSA and ASCA updates. He has called and written to Senators and Representatives to voice his opinion and to encourage their favorable vote on snowmobile issues at both the State and Federal Level. While a member of the SDSA leadership team, Brian participated in five DC-Fly In’s. Three of those years, he was the lead elected officer for SDSA, conversing with our Federal Representatives, first hand about the pertinent issues of the time. Most recently, he has provided comment at the Federal Level on the proposed Shoshone National Forest access revisions along with multiple others over the years. Brian also attended a meeting with Senator John Thune in Sioux Falls early on in regards to trail access in national forests.
Safety and assistance to others are important to Brian so he is always willing to help another snowmobiler on and off the trail. Brian has enjoyed mentoring many new and upcoming young riders of snowmobiling inspiring them to ride and enjoy the sport of snowmobiling as much as he does. Please ask a Hojer youth, a Hiles daughter or now a Cooper child about their riding experiences with Brian Erickson. They all have a fun story to tell.
He and his wife, Tracey continue to enjoy numerous snowmobile trips throughout the years, which have contributed in making many new acquaintances across the country as they see the country via snowmobile. Many of which have now become life-long friends.
Most note worthy are his annual “Guys” trip to the Big Horns in Wyoming each year. Where many memories have been created with friends from Minnesota and Eastern and Western South Dakota. Additionally, each year several yearly trips are made to the Black Hills snowmobiling. One of Governor’s ride stands out in particular when he proceeded to have a State Representative’s Wife from Rapid City participate in the group he was leading, who had never been on a snowmobile before, follow him like a little puppy everywhere. Fortunately, when he went over a little snow jump and she followed, catching air, she came down with a huge smile on her face and a “can we do that again” reaction!
Positive communication about snowmobiling and what our club is all about comes natural for Brian. Invitations are extended for club meetings and group snowmobile rides to members and non-members alike. He has attended many open houses over the years at
various dealerships in the region, promoting SDSA and the Town & Country Snowdrifters. He has continued to recruit members by membership drives, talking to fellow snowmobilers about the need for organized snowmobiling as it provides access to trails and through posts on social media.
As vice-president of our local club, he is presently involved in helping assume grooming responsibilities for the club as our present groomer retires. He is also helping to host a groomer training school at Erickson Farms shop for area clubs to get groomers trained, since there is not an official training school being offered through G,F & P this year. He and his wife, Tracey have also stepped up to take on trail signing an additional trail section that they normally would not sign.
Outside of snowmobiling, Brian is always willing to help out with various events. This includes his volunteer work on the Ramona Fire Department and also helping his wife with Agricultural promotion events through their annual Dairy Fest, where he serves as MC and the MooCow Dance Leader for the day.