The SPSA has a proud history of helping others in the community. We have an active membership that gives their time and energy to assist those in need. Every event takes a lot of pre-planning and time consuming staging so that the event goes off without a problem. For these needed events to continue requires the SPSA and its members to fund the programs. We accomplish this funding, not by going out to other businesses for donations or asking for local government subsidized programs, but we at the SPSA roll up our sleeves and give countless amounts of organizational hours to make it happen. Our membership stands behind these programs and feels it is one of the best ways to give back to others and support the community. In addition, the Officers and Trustees, as well as each and every member continue to host events that assist us in the funding process as well as bringing in new members to support our programs. To do that we must make the Club a fun place to visit where one is welcome and can share special times without being bothered by foul language or actions. We try to maintain an environment where any member can come and visit be it a man or a woman and feel comfortable.

Our web page is one tool where we show people having a good time sharing stories and having a few laughs over a couple of cocktails. It is an advertising program as well as an informational page to keep people coming to the Club. All of our folks are fully aware that money spent in one evening leaves us with a small part to cover operating expenses and a small part to we give to support the community.

Let's look at some of the Community support we provide. Starting at the beginning of the year we have a full plate of giving events, starting with the Mad River Children's ice fishing derby where we give our hall freely to support this activity in addition for a small fee we have food available for those hungry children, this event, not counting the vast number of volunteers from the Mad River Club, takes at least 7 club members 3 days to prepare for with some starting at 4am and finishing at 5pm. We then swing into supporting the Hunters Helping Kids which is a one or two day event with the SPSA supplying all the food to feed those hunters after a morning of hunting. 

As we enter the summer season we slow down a bit on benefits and concentrated on our snow birds. At this time we concentrate on sending donations to other worth while causes. Our donations go to Sandy Creek Fire Department, American Cancer Society, Sandy Creek Food Pantry, Friendship Shop, Local ambulance service, Hospice and various benefits to support others in need. Our members have supported what is called the "Bartenders Challenge" which sounds like a day of play however each host must choose a worth while benefit in which all the proceeds are forwarded. This event has donated thousands to special groups such as the Shriners Children's Hospital and Hospice. Last year the participation was so large from the SPSA that our members paid for a bus to get there.

As summer ends and fall approaches we have established a scholarship fund to two students in the Sand Creek School system. One male and one female will be awarded a scholarship based on the selection of the School Administration, who's continuing education meets our mission statement of protecting our environment and resources. We host a Hunters Safety Education program where several of our members have taken the time to become Hunter Education Instructors in order to teach hunter safety and environment protection. This year's scholarship winners were ...... We have provided boaters safety education courses a course that is difficult to find and we continue to look for new instructors to continue with that program.

The SPSA sends 3 or 4 young adults to the DEC Camp. At DEC environmental education camps, campers experience a balance of environmental education, sportsman education and outdoor fun. Games, lessons and hands-on activities teach kids about forests, water quality and other aspects of nature. Swimming, hiking and canoeing are on the agenda, too, as campers learn new outdoor skills. Campers come away with a life-long passion for nature and a dedication to stewardship of our natural resources.

Fall also brings a special event for the children of the area our Halloween party and hay ride. Children of all ages arrive at the SPSA where several members of the organization give there time and dollars with donation of tractors to pull all the children with their guardians around the areas roadways for a special ride to see the Pond. Following this ride they return to the Club where volunteers cook them a lunch while others play games and receive candy treats.

Winter brings a special occasion, one which has grown in participation over the past years, our annual Children's Christmas Party. One of the biggest and most needed Christmas Party in the North Country. We target the area youth and those who may not have a Christmas and brings a tear to the eyes of those in attendance. This event starts early and takes many of our members giving time and money to ensure each child has a gift at Christmas. Weeks before the big day a group of members take time to shop for a couple hundred gifts, each present is targeted towards an age group and gender. Gifts are wrapped and separated, food is purchased, cookies are baked and the hall is decorated to meet the season. While Mr. & Mrs. Clause dust off their suits from summer storage the SPSA elves are busy wrapping all the gifts.

Closing out our Global giving we provide food baskets for needy families in the Sandy Creek area. Each basket holds a bounty of food enough to allow a moderate family to have a Christmas Dinner. Each basket is carefully filled with a turkey, potatoes, stuffing and desert as well as other trimmings to make a meal for those that may not have been able to have such a great meal. Each basket is either delivered or pick-up at our Club within a week of the big event. As always the members who deliver the food spend there dollars for fuel to make a family happy.

All of the above events could not be possible if it were not for the generous members of the Sandy Pond Sportsman's Association. It may look like we are a social Club and in fact we do provide entertainment and special events for our members but if we did not have this membership none of the above Community events could not happen. We provide for our members so all can provide for the community and it can only be accomplished by maintaining a large membership. We are a membership organization but we remain with deep seeded roots in the Community living up to our mission statement to our fullest.