March
2018 Issue
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Vol.2 Issue 9
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In this issue:
Thank you! Enjoy photos and updates of events at the 80th OLC, meet the 2018-2019 Officers, get information on OLC Foundation Scholarship application and
Save The Date for the 81st Celebration of the OLC, February 21, 22, & 23, 2019.
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80 YEARS OF OREGON LOGGING CONFERENCE
SUCCESSFULLY CELEBRATED
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As promised, the 80th Annual Oregon Logging Conference was complete with state-of-the-art logging equipment, new and annual activities, and important and timely seminars and workshops. Thank you to all who participated. Your involvement as an exhibitor, sponsor, attendee, competitor, OLC officers, directors, staff and volunteers is
very much appreciated
. This hard work and dedication is the reason for the success of the Oregon Logging Conference.
Click here
for the 80th OLC Showguide.
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80th Annual
Oregon Logging Conference
Attracts State, National and International Interest
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Taking place at the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds in Eugene, OR February 22 – 24, 2018, the OLC attracted more than 6,000 industry professionals from 37 U.S. states as well as Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, and Sweden.
Add to that number, the local students and general public who attended to participate in various activities associated with OLC. Weather-related impacts (snow and rain) did cause the cancellation of the elementary school students visit on Thursday, something that has only happened once before.
The new event this year, the Future Forestry Workers Career Day was a big success and will likely become an annual event at the OLC (see article below).
2018 Oregon Logging Conference President Rick Kriege
, Kriege Logging LLC talked about the theme of the Conference (
80 Years Evergreen and Growing
) in his presidential address. He provided a brief history of the three founding industry leaders, Archie Whisnant, Col. Greely, and Herb Cox, who blended their points of view and established what was then called the Willamette Valley Logging Conference.
As the Conference grew, the name was changed, and now 80 years later the OLC is the largest equipment show west of the Mississippi.
As Kriege addressed the Evergreen portion of the theme he said, “We plant and grow more trees than ever in today’s practices, and we have adopted policies that protect our future to stay evergreen.
In his concern for the industry to Grow, Kriege said, “For our industry to continue to grow, we must reach out to today’s young people, let them know we have good paying jobs with or without a college education. If you like hard work,” he added, “we have a job for you!”
Keynote Speaker Kathy Abusow
, President and CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) spoke to a standing room only crowd at the OLC. Her key message was that all the hard work that goes into logger training and is recognized by the SFI Implementation Committee is greatly appreciated and makes a difference in water quality, to communities, and to customers in the supply chain. Abusow spoke of the longstanding relationship between SFI and professional harvesters, and how she hopes to continue to grow and strengthen that relationship at state and national levels.
She also thanked the OFRI for their continued support of Project Learning Tree which was transferred to SFI in the summer of 2017. Abusow praised Oregon for its leadership and said that we have a shared mission in educating the next generation to be future forest leaders, increasingly important since 80% of the population is now urbanized.
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Commercial Thinning Seminar
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Friday Business Seminars Gather Large Crowds
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Future Forestry Workers Career Day
Reaching Out to the Next Generation
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The message to the high school students who attended the first Future Forestry Workers Career Day at the Oregon Logging Conference was clear: There are a wide variety of job opportunities available in the timber industry now and in the future. The new event could be the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship between timber industry professionals and the next generation of loggers and forestry workers.
More than 400 students from approximately 20 Oregon High Schools attended the Career Day learning about current and future job opportunities in the logging industry and the skills required for each job. The students were also able to get up close to modern, state-of-the-art logging equipment, visit one-on-one with industry professionals, and hear from workers in the industry.
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Crook County High
School Students
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Over 400 Students attend first Future Forestry Workers Career Day event
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High School students
learn about jobs
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Casey Roscoe talks to
students
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Seneca's Virtual
Tree Farm
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President Rick Kriege (center) with speakers Kaci Hillery and Brayden Andersen, both with Miller Timber Co.
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Exhibitors listen to speakers,
while they wait to visit with students
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15th Desserts for Dreams Charity Event
Donates Funds To St Charles Hospice
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The 15th Annual charity event held at the Eugene Hilton on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, brought in over $11,000 with 100% of the proceeds donated to St. Charles Hospice program. OLC First Lady Donna Kriege, was very pleased with the turnout and the interest in this worthwhile charity.
Since 2004, the OLC has held this annual charity fundraiser event and has raised well over $65,000 with 100% of the funds donated to charities selected by the OLC first ladies. Over the years worthwhile charities such as; Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Rogue Children's Hospital, Breast Cancer Susan G. Komen Foundation, Provider Pals, Smart Readers, CASA, Gales Creek Children's Camp for Diabetes, OWIT Talk About Trees, OLC Foundation Scholarship program, Women's Space, NAMAI, Bethel Education Foundation, Sunshine Industries, PlaySmart, Boys and Girls Aid Society, SafeHaven Humane Society and this year St. Charles Hospice program have been selected.
The Desserts for Dreams is one event held each year in conjunction with the OLC. Delicious desserts and other luncheon fare are donated by local restaurants and bakeries. Make plans to attend the 2019 Desserts for Dreams event on Friday, February 22nd at the Eugene Hilton.
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First Lady Donna Kriege
Welcomes Ladies
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One very happy
opportunity drawing winner
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Passing of the "pillow"
to incoming first lady Michelle Dudley
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Just a few of wonderful desserts donated
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Thank you Eugene Hilton and the many wonderful Restaurants
and Bakeries for their delicious donations.
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Successful Entry Wins the
2018 Guess the Load of Logs
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A shovel operator from Scio, OR is the winner of the
Guess the Net Scale
competition on the load of logs that was parked on the fairgrounds during the Oregon Logging Conference.
Aaron Wainman was the only one out of 748 guesses who was right on the dot of 6,550. Wainman will receive a Cabela’s gift card.
Special thanks to Swanson Bros Lumber and Leonard Maser Trucking for donating the truck for display at the OLC
Thank you for guessing this year and be sure to join us February 21, 22, & 23, 2019 to "Guess Again!"
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College Scholarship Applications Being Accepted
by Oregon Logging Conference Foundation
Financial scholarships are available from the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation, the educational arm of the Oregon Logging Conference. Applications for the 2018-2019 school year are now being accepted, and must be received in the OLC office by May 1
st
. Submit your applications by mail to Oregon Logging Conference, P.O. Box 10669, Eugene, OR 97440.
Guidelines, details and applications are posted on the OLC Foundation or
click here
to download the application.
Last year the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation awarded 12 scholarships for a total of $26,000 to college students in Oregon. 10 of those awarded were to first time recipients. Previous year scholarship recipients are eligible to reapply, however must submit a new application.
Scholarships are available to financially assist students who are studying forestry related subjects, such as forest engineering, forest management, forest operations/management, resource management, diesel mechanics/heavy equipment maintenance, and welding.
Scholarship applications are reviewed by a committee of six to eight members of the OLC Foundation Board of Directors, and recipients for the 2018-2019 academic year will be selected at the OLC Foundation Spring meeting in June. Selected students will be notified by mail and the students will also be highlighted in the July edition of
OLC NEWS.
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OLC Foundation Auction for
Forestry Scholarships
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More than $20,000 was raised during the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation auction held during the morning sessions of the OLC on February 22nd and 23rd.
A very special thank you goes out to all donors, bidders, our auctioneer and runners for their support of educational programs at the OLC. The money raised will be used to provide college scholarships to deserving students.
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Educational Activities At The 80th OLC
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Getting the Message Across
The importance of educating students and the general public about the logging industry cannot be underestimated, and this was accomplished through several avenues at the 80th Annual Oregon Logging Conference.
Education day at the OLC usually begins on Thursday, February 22nd, with close to 900 elementary school students attending, unfortunately the weather caused this event to be cancelled. But that didn't stop other education events from taking place on Friday and Saturday of the 80th annual conference.
High School Forestry Clubs Show Their Skills
On the high school level, 25 students from three Oregon high schools competed in a logging skills competition. Students from Scio, Sweet Home and Tillamook High Schools competed in choker setting, cable splicing, crosscut sawing, power bucking, and arbor climbing. These students are learning the necessary skills to become the next generation of workers in the logging industry.
Family Fun and Education
Saturday, February 24th was Family Day and the final day of the three-day OLC. The weather held out for families and interested members of the public on this free admission day. The OLC hosts the family fun and education event in the Wheeler Pavilion with a focus on the benefits of the wood products industry. Children learn how to count the age of a tree, build a bird feeder, learn to make paper, and have an up close encounter with owls from Chintimi Wildlife Center.
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Kids building bird feeders with the help from Miss Lane County
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Clown fun and balloon animals
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Learning the age of trees
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9th Annual Log Loader Competition
A Crowd Favorite
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Many people gathered to watch as skilled equipment operators placed one piece of log on top of another to complete three separate stacks of three pieces of log. And one thing is for certain, it’s a lot harder than it looks!
Twenty-eight contestants applied their skills to the task, and f
or the second year in a row and the third time in four years, Green Diamond Resource Company employee Bryan Chipps took first place, Zane Bryant moved up to second place and third place went to Layne Walker at the 9
th
annual
Oregon Logging Conference Log Loader Competition
.
This years' winners are:
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First Place – 2:45:75
Bryan Chipps, Green Diamond Resource Co., Korbel, CA
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Second Place – 3:04:03
Zane Bryant, Bryant Logging Co., Beaver Creek, OR
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Third Place – 3:40:63
Layne Walker, Eugene, OR
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Meetings, Exhibits and Fun Events!
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Drone aerial photo of the 80th OLC
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Fun Evening at the
80th Celebration Party
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2018 First Couple
enjoy the celebration party
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Friends Larry Hanscom
and Dave Wellman
enjoy the party
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Oregon Logging Conference Officers will Lead the Way to the 81st Annual Gathering
February 21st - 23rd, 2019
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The following board officers and staff will serve the Oregon Logging Conference for
2018 - 2019.
- Jim Dudley, Swanson Group, Glendale, OR., president
- Greg Stratton, Siskiyou Cascade Resources., Medford, OR., first vice president
- Scott Melcher, Melcher Logging Co., Sweet Home, OR., second vice president
- Craig Olson, Weyerhaeuser Co., Castle Rock, WA., third vice president
- Milton Moran, Cascade Timber Consulting Inc., Sweet Home, OR., treasurer
- Rikki Wellman, Oregon Logging Conference, Eugene, OR., conference manager
The 2019 Oregon Logging Conference will hold the eighty-first session on February 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2019 at the Lane Events Center in Eugene, Ore., and will feature education seminars, exhibits on the latest technology in logging equipment, networking opportunities and the chance to earn professional logger credits. Updated details will soon be available at the Oregon Logging Conference website, www.oregonloggingconference.com, or by calling 541-686-9191.
Photo above: L - R standing: Jim Dudley, president (Swanson Group Inc., Glendale, Oregon), Craig Olson, 3rd VP (Weyerhaeuser Co., Castle Rock, Washington), Greg Stratton, 1st VP (Siskiyou Cascade Resources, Medford, Oregon), L-R seated: Scott Melcher, 2nd VP (Melcher Logging Co.) and Milton Moran, Treasurer (Cascade Timber Consulting, Sweet Home, Oregon).
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SAVE THE DATES
Oregon Logging Conference
February 21, 22, & 23, 2019
Here are just a few reasons why you should attend the 81st OLC Logging, Construction, Trucking and Heavy Equipment Expo. The registration fee of $95 includes:
- Wednesday pre-registration meet & greet at the Eugene Hilton.
- Thursday opening breakfast, meetings and social networking at the well-known OLC Sawdust Bowl.
- Friday breakfast, meetings, break-out seminar sessions and social. networking at the well-known OLC Sawdust bowl.
- An opportunity to sign-up to compete in the 81st Annual Log Loader Competition.
- Attend meetings and earn Pro Logger credits.
- Millions-of-dollars of equipment on display at the largest equipment show in North America.
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FEBRUARY
21st, 22nd & 23rd, 2019
LANE EVENTS CENTER AND FAIRGROUNDS
EUGENE, OREGON
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PUBLISHER / EDITOR / WRITER
Mary Bullwinkel, Freelance
Rikki Wellman, Conference Manager
Office 541.686.9191
Articles and photos are welcome.
Please email rikki@oregonloggingconference.com
If you would like to submit articles or photos.
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Quick Links to OLC Events
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