Congratulations to our member Scott Helmer for winning the Harry Kroll & Mel Blaurock Memorial award at the 2025 convention!

The Harry Kroll Memorial Trophy is the oldest award presented by the IASC. It is named for the second president of the Northeastern Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs. His two main pushes were to organize new clubs and to connect all of the club trails into a network. He was a dedicated snowmobiler. He would work evenings free repairing peoples snowmobiles so he would have someone to ride with on the weekends. That was back in the days where you had to carry a box of spare spark plugs just to be able to get back home. Everyone’s snowmobile suit was grease stained. Mel Blaurock served as his vice president. The Sportsmen Snowmobile Club sponsors the award. It is presented each year at the IASC. convention banquet.

It is awarded to the person that the delegates feel has done the most for the sport of snowmobiling in Illinois. One page nominating resumes are turned in to Mel Blaurock by members. These are read at the annual meeting of the IASC. and a secret vote is taken. The award recipient is announced at the Convention banquet in November.

The trophy has been won by politicians, officers and regular members of the IASC

The Harry Kroll Memorial Trophy has been awarded to the following deserving people:

• 1979 Earl Nelson

• 1980 Ron Hambly

• 1981 Nayola Nelson

• 1982 Rep. Betty Lou Reed

• 1983 Doug & Lou Nelson

• 1984 Mel Blaurock

• 1983 Sen. Shaffer

• 1984 Ron Hambly (Second time)

• 1985 Rep. Dick Klemm

• 1986 Mel Blaurock (Second time)

• 1987 George Gore

• 1988 Marv Taylor

• 1989 Dick & Maggie Arseneau

• 1990 Dan Hansen

• 1991 Chuck Kozel

• 1992 Bill Schumann

• 1993 Elwin “Tiny” Sanders

• 1994 Murray Quincer

• 1995 George & “Toots” Brefeld

• 1996 Gerry Grignon

• 1997 Sue Giese

• 1998 Don Schaefer

• 1999 John Lyon

• 2000 Jane Austin

• 2001 Robin Lindberg

• 2002 Mark Hazzard

• 2003 Ron & Wendy Celesnik

• 2004 Hank Armbrecht

• 2005 Jane Austin

• 2006 Greg Ward

• 2007 Dick Arseneau

• 2008 Cathy Hanson

• 2009 Sue Giese

• 2010 Merle and Bonnie Schultz

• 2011 Dave Rudolph

• 2012 Dick Arseneau

• 2013 Steve McIntosh

• 2014 Mike Dicker

• 2015 Duke & Barb Mueller

• 2016 Bill Rieke

• 2017 Dan Damptz

• 2018 Dan Long

• 2019 Ken Conti

• 2020 Covid year

• 2021 Wayne & Shirley Hinz

• 2022 The Hinz Family

• 2023 Dick Arseneau

• 2024 John Saigh

• 2025 Scott Helmer