Dakota Drifters Snowmobile Club

04/20/2026

What a great season wrap-up the Dakota Drifters experienced last night! A delicious meal was catered by Midwest Fresh for the 32 attendees.

The last meeting of the season was packed full, including drawings to culminate our 1st Annual Winter Ride: 1st - Roshal Lamp, 2nd - Brian Melchert, 3rd - Tonia Benthin; Tonia also came out on top of the seven people who completed all 26 stops. A huge shoutout to all the Associate Members who participated in our 1st Annual Winter Ride!! Be on the lookout as we are beginning plans for the next “Ride” 😉

Wrapping up the evening was officer elections. Ron Benthin moved up to President for the 2026-2027 season; Vice-President - Greg Spiering; Treasurer - Darrin Hai; Secretary - Lisa Cain; Public Relations - Gena Hult; Past President - Lynn Nilsson. Incorporating two new board members to join Mike Broesder and Chad Willmott are Brian Melchert and Julie Westburg.

Stories were told and laughs were enjoyed - looking forward to gathering during the off-season with these wonderful friends!

04/12/2026

WINTER RIDE HANKY'S:
Please send a picture of your stamped Hanky (with total stops noted), to Lynn at 605-695-7182 or [email protected] before April 15th. We will be issuing tickets for each stop on your Stamped Hanky which go into the prize drawings for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Most Stops.
If you are attending the Spring Banquet you can bring your Hanky's or a clear picture of the Hanky with your stops visible. Please come early so we can get the drawing tickets issued.

THANK YOU to all of the Associate Business Members who provided stops/stamps and discounts for our first Winter Ride! And a big thank you to Brookings Powersports for sponsoring the event!

04/10/2026

PLEASE RSVP BY THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE BANQUET. We need to finalize our numbers for the caterer, thank you. If you have not replied yet RSVP by replying to this email, or text or call myself (Lynn) at 605-695-7182, or Ron Benthin at 605-651-4970 with the number attending. Thank you to all who have already sent their rsvp in.

WINTER RIDE HANKY'S:
Please send a picture of your stamped Hanky (with total stops noted), to Lynn at 605-695-7182 or [email protected] before April 15th. We will be issuing tickets for each stop on your Stamped Hanky which go into the prize drawings for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Most Stops.
If you are attending the Spring Banquet you can bring your Hanky's or a clear picture of the Hanky with your stops visible. Please come early so we can get the drawing tickets issued.

The Dakota Drifter Club Spring Banquet will be held on Saturday April 18th, 2026 at Brian and Gena's house South of Volga. We will have Shooting Sports with targets and clay pigeons at 3:00pm. Cards, games and Beanbags will also be available so come at 3:00pm and hang out with us. Social hour will start at 5:00pm. A catered dinner will be provided by Midwest Fresh at 6:00pm, and we will hold our last club meeting for the year at 7:00pm, with Winter Ride prize drawings and officer elections.

The Menu from Midwest Fresh will include an option of Beef Brisket or Deconstructed Cordon Bleu Chicken, with 2 sides. We ask that attendees bring your own beverages, and a dessert item to share. All club members and family are welcome, including new members, Associate Business members, and past OG's of the club, so please come join us for a fun day!

03/27/2026

Due to the continued warm weather our Dakota Drifter Snowmobile trail system is officially closed for the winter season. Thank you to all of the club volunteers who install and maintain our trail marker signs all winter long. And thank you to all of the Associate Business Members who support the trails and snowmobiling in the Brookings area. This will be the last weekend to use your Winter Ride Hanky's, so stop in to those businesses and get your stamps filled out for our drawings at the April Spring Banquet coming up April 18th!

03/18/2026

The winter season is wrapping up, and it's time to plan for our Spring Banquet. Once again our Dakota Drifter Club Spring Banquet will be held on Saturday April 18th, 2026 at Brian and Gena's house South of Volga. We will have Shooting Sports with targets and clay pigeons at 3:00pm. Cards, games and Beanbags will also be available so come at 3:00pm and hang out with us. Social hour will start at 5:00pm. A catered dinner will be provided by Midwest Fresh at 6:00pm, and we will hold our last club meeting for the year at 7:00pm, with Winter Ride prize drawings and officer elections.

The Menu from Midwest Fresh will include an option of Beef Brisket or Deconstructed Cordon Bleu Chicken, with 2 sides. We ask that attendees bring your own beverages, and a dessert item to share. All club members and family are welcome, including new members, Associate Business members, and past OG's of the club, so please come join us for a fun day!

This will also be the wrap up of our 1st Annual Winter Ride, with drawings for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and the Most stamps award for your Hanky's. You all have until the end of March to visit those businesses, take advantage of the discounts, and get your Hanky's stamped. If anyone still needs a Hanky with the discounts, let us know. There will be a followup email on how to get your Hanky's turned in from April 1st to April 15th.

There will be more info and directions coming at a later time. Please RSVP before April 8th or sooner with the number of people attending in your family, so we can get a head count for the caterer.
You can RSVP by replying to this post, email, or text or call myself (Lynn) at 605-695-7182, or Ron Benthin at 605-651-4970.

03/12/2026

Prayers and condolences to the Pederson family. Bryan and his family have been long time members of the Dakota Drifters.

https://www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com/obituaries/amy-pedersen?fbclid=IwdGRzaAQe_6NjbGNrBB7_AmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHjxG5XMupMAyMfR4nxpaL_xwk-99nH2rlp9z4nRWn-9pP3ow-ZhCIsKX1drm_aem_k3syNDFdJncF4cQy3QhoUQ

View Amy Pedersen's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

03/11/2026

Reminder: Club meeting tonite, Wednesday March 11th, at 7:00pm at Toronto Cafe & Lounge. They are located at 485 Main Ave. Toronto, SD. The Toronto Cafe has a full menu, so come early and enjoy some of their great food. See you tonite!

03/11/2026

Right now, 33 boys in our program are waiting for a mentor to look up to. 💙 We’re looking for male mentors to step up and make a difference. Just a few hours a month can build confidence, create memories, and change a young life right here in Brookings County.

Interested in becoming a mentor? Visit https://bcymentoring.org/ to start today!

03/05/2026

Our next monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday March 11th, at 7:00pm at Toronto Cafe & Lounge. They are located at 485 Main Ave. Toronto, SD. The Toronto Cafe has a full menu, so come early and enjoy some of their great food. The Toronto Cafe is a new Associate Member for our club, and we thank them for their support. Bring a friend, and we will see you all next Wednesday.

03/01/2026

Twelve members of the Dakota Drifters ventured to Ponderosa Hills Vacation Cabin in the Black Hills on February 26 - March 1 to enjoy the planned club ride/event. Trailshead Lodge prepared a wonderful club meal Friday evening. Three days of riding, while enjoying great food, fun games, and endless laughter!