Mel Haase gets presented at new snowmobile from Stojan's for his 80th birthday. Photo Credit: (Shane Clausing)

By Shane Clausing

Community

Local snowmobiler gifted new ride for 80th birthday

Nov 7, 2020 | 4:50 PM

Longtime customer of Stojan’s Power Sports & Marine, Mel Haase, got the birthday gift of a lifetime on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, Haase was presented with the keys to a brand new 2021 snowmobile.

Haase tells EverythingGP that the gift caught him by surprise.

“I couldn’t believe it. It’s overwhelming, I didn’t even know what to say. Rene (one of the co-owners at Stojans) phoned me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I could drop around to the open house and I didn’t know what was going on.

“I’ll be 80 on March 7, so that’s a little premature, but I’ll be 80 for the season I’ll be riding in it.”

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Hasse says that he and his family have been snowmobiling for over 20 years. He mentioned that he got into the sport about a decade after he moved his family from Cold Lake to Grande Prairie 30 years ago.

Despite his age, Hasse said that he gets out on the trails more than ever at the age of 80.

“We still go lots. We go more now probably, but for not as many days at a time. Last year we missed one weekend all year because it was too cold. We try to go every weekend because that’s our entertainment.”

Hasse said that his trips on the snowmobile usually start early in the morning and will go until about 3:00 p.m. when they run out of gas. He usually rides out of Kakwa Park.

With the snow on the ground, Hasse says he can’t wait to take his new ride for a spin.

“If I would’ve bought one, that is exactly what I would’ve bought.”

Jerry Stojan, one of the co-owners at Stojan’s Power Sports & Marine told EverythingGP that there is nobody more deserving than Mel to get a gift like this.

“Mel’s been an ambassador of the sport forever and he’s kind of a legend out in Kakwa. He’s the type of snowmobiler everyone wants to be. He’s been an excellent customer and friend here.”

“We were just thinking here what we can do to kind of let guys like that know that we appreciate him. There is only one of him so it was kind of an easy choice to do a donation like this.”

Jerry Stojan (far left), Rene Remillard (middle) present Mel Haase (pictured on the right) with his new snowmobile. Photo Credit: Shane Clausing