October 2020 Issue <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Vol. 5 Issue 4
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In this issue you’ll learn about the recent successful fundraiser for the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation, the status of holding the 83rd Annual Oregon Logging Conference is still unknown, meet the new Executive Director of the Future Natural Resource Leaders program, and how Oregon Women in Timber have remained active during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Easy quick links to the 2021 program, including social events can be found on the last page of this newsletter.
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Clay Target Tournament
Fundraiser for Scholarships
By Natalie Foglio
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The second annual Oregon Logging Conference Foundation (OLCF) Clay Target Tournament fundraiser on October 2nd raised more than $32,000, with all proceeds from the event to benefit college students who receive scholarships from the OLCF. The fundraiser was held at Creswell Clay target Sports in Creswell, OR. “We are very fortunate to be able to hold this fundraiser considering this year’s events, and at the end of the day we raised $32,500 which will go directly to the 2021-2022 school year scholarship recipients,” said event chairperson and OLC Board Member Jeanne Shuttleworth.
Scholarship sponsors for the tournament were: Sundance Lumber Co., Boise Cascade, Harold and Lory Huffman, Stuntzner Engineering and Forestry LLC, Starker Forests Inc., and Bob and Carolyn Magathan. Title sponsors of the fundraiser were Bell Lumber and Pole, Douglas County Forest Products, and Pape Machinery.
About twenty-five volunteers helped to set up the target shoot, manage registration, and staff the stations. Jeanne Shuttleworth, Rikki Wellman and Kevin Merritt were responsible for much of the organization and behind-the-scenes work, along with members of OLC staff and volunteers from the gun range.
Following registration, a catered lunch was served courtesy of Erin Pelayo from Chapala Mexican Restaurants. Lunches came individually packaged, and the group was able to eat outside and practice social distancing as per COVID-19 regulations. During the meal, Jeanne Shuttleworth addressed the group, thanked the event sponsors and introduced Justin Helgren, a Junior at Oregon State University majoring in Forest Management who is a current beneficiary from the OLCF scholarship program. Lunch was sponsored by Giustina Resources and the drink sponsor was Swanson Group.
In addition to paid team registration, participants had the option to buy do-over tickets for missed rounds, opportunity drawing tickets for donated prizes, and participate in the auction held at the end of the day. Auction items included a salmon fishing trip sponsored by Alta Forest and Mountain West Log Scaling Bureau, a backpack full of items donated by Mark and Denise Taisey (with proceeds to fund the Carl Welle Memorial Scholarship), and a Tikka rifle donated by L and L Inc., Martin Custom Harvesting, and Bearhaven Consulting. Combined, the auction and opportunity drawing raised $8,000.
Fourteen teams rotated through the stations on the course, and for each broken “bird” or clay target, one point was awarded to the individual who shot it. The scores of the top four shooters on each team were added up to determine the team scores with a maximum of 100 points.
The first-place team for the second consecutive year was Ocean Terminals. Second place team was Giustina Resources. Steve Munsell and Liz Goll were the high scoring man and woman, and the Conservation Award (for the lowest scoring individual) went to Donna Kriege.
Sponsors of the stations this year were Hart Custom Cutting, Bearhaven Consulting, Cascade Timber Consulting, Michelle and Jim Dudley, the Oregon Logging Conference, Modern Machinery, and Kriege Logging LLC.
When all of the groups finished shooting, everyone gathered together for drinks and the awards ceremony sponsored by Ocean Terminals, Pay it Forward, and Pat and Liz Goll.
“The event was a huge success and it’s a wonderful thing that despite all of the challenges being faced in our lives, this group of people was able to come together with generosity and camaraderie and make a contribution to the future of the logging industry,” conference manager Rikki Wellman said.
Here's a few photo of the events and activities. Photos by Natalie Foglio.
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Decision To Be Made Soon On
83rd Annual Oregon Logging Conference
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A decision is expected in the next few weeks from the Oregon Logging Conference Board of Directors regarding the 83rd Annual OLC, which is still being planned for February 2021.
As OLC President Scott Melcher said in the last issuer of the OLC NEWS newsletter, it is unlikely that the conference will take place as it would in a normal year, at the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds.
Discussions and brainstorming sessions are ongoing to explore options for holding some of the OLC events and activities in a COVID-19 pandemic appropriate way. Meanwhile the planning for the 83rd OLC continues to take place.
More details will be forthcoming and will be shared via the OLC website, Facebook, and the OLC NEWS newsletter.
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Update on Oregon Logging Conference
Fire Relief Fund
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More than $20,000 had been donated to the Oregon Logging Conference Repair & Recovery Fire Relief Fund, since established late last month. Contributions are still being sought, to provide assistance to those who lost logging equipment, tools, and supplies to recent devastating wildfires.
“We continue to receive generous donations to this worthwhile program, and we plan to start accepting applications for financial relief soon,” said OLC President Scott Melcher.
“The OLC Repair & Recovery Fire Relief program would assist forestry contractors with insurance deductibles and costs associated with removal, repairing, and replacement of equipment, tools, and supplies,” Melcher added.
The Fire Relief program was the idea of OLC Board Member Heidi Lieb who said, “With several relief efforts in place to help those who lost homes, there appeared to be an outstanding need to assist businesses within our industry that has lost logging equipment, tools, and supplies to the fires.”
The Repair & Recovery Fire Relief Fund is managed by the Oregon Logging Conference, a 501(c)6 non-profit organization (Federal tax ID 93-6030143).
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Video Contest Seeks to Engage
High School Students in the Timber Industry
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High school students are invited to create a video that provides information about the value of a career in the forest products sector.
Videos may be up to 90 seconds long and will be submitted via YouTube. Get curious about a job (or jobs!) that may interest you; then conduct research to creatively tell about it in a digital format. Examples include: storytelling, creation of a news segment, a commercial, a movie trailer, a cartoon, or a music video!
The contest is open to 14-18 year old residents of four states: Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho. Entries accepted, October 1 - November 13, 2020 and winners will be announced on December 4, 2020.
Prizes will be awarded as follows:
- 12 finalists - $100.00 each
- Grand Prize - $1,000
- Second Prize - $500
- Third Prize - $250
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Remember daylight savings ends at 2am on November 1st. Fall back one hour! |
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Future Natural Resource Leader Program Has New Executive Director
By Rex Lowther
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My name is Rex Lowther and I am the new executive director of the Oregon FNRL (Future Natural Resource Leaders). FNRL is part of the Oregon CTSO’s (Career Technical Student Organization).
I grew up in Kings Valley on the edge of the coast range in the middle of a forest. I spent a lot of time in the woods as a child and began working our family forest at the age of 14. I spent a couple of years in the forestry program at Philomath where I graduated from in 1992. I earned a degree in Business Economics at Willamette University in 1996. I started my own logging company and ran that for 8 years. My heart has always led me to teach and coaching football really developed that desire. I earned my MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) in 2003 from Western Oregon University. I was originally licensed in business and math, but after many failed interviews I found a special place that many have not heard of. Scio called to me and I answered. I began my 16 year teaching career the fall of 2004 teaching forestry, small engines, and at the time weight lifting and math. My path eventually led to adding wood-shop to my plate and I was hooked. I had the ability to take students through a journey from tree to finished product. After 16 years and putting all 3 of my kids through Scio, I had the opportunity to move into this current position.
Mission of the Organization
Oregon FNRL is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through Natural Resources Education.
I am super excited to be working with teachers and student leaders. FNRL developed out of AOFC (Associated Oregon Forestry Clubs) and expanded on the reach of that CTSO. AOFC was founded in the late 70’s. At the time there were more than 30 schools that taught forestry. Many of the CDE (Career Development Events) were focused on timber sports. As time moved on and budgets became tighter, forestry programs were cut. When I took over Scio in 2004 there were around 6 programs left. Programs that taught a variety of skills but included things like logging, arbor work, and saw-milling. AOFC was eventually dissolved when the state CTSO office shut down. During that period of wandering, a group of advisors kept things moving forward. CDE’s still took place, state convention happened, and fire school even stayed strong. We banded together and flew by the seat of our pants.
During that time there were many conversations about the legitimacy of our programs. We ended up organizing FNRL in the winter of 2015 and our original charter had 6 schools attached to it. Currently we are in more than 30 schools with more coming on board each year. FNRL expands on the idea of teaching just forestry. It encompasses a broader category which brings together a diverse group of teachers and students. All of them with the same goal of properly taking care of our natural resources.
Students Learns About Forestry Career Opportunities
COVID has taken a toll and what traditionally would have been a busy fall season with different activities and events happening has slowed way down. Students are struggling. They are struggling because most of the kids who enroll in FNRL type classes don’t spend much time inside on a computer. They are wanting to be out. Working with their hands. Using the tools they learn and putting them to practice. The teachers are working hard to make sure the students are staying involved, but it has proven to be challenging.
One of my main goals is to pair FNRL programs with local employers. Whether it is logging contractors or environmental services providers, our students need to know that there are good careers available in natural resources.
FNRL’s job is to provide student leadership. Students that can work and are knowledgeable about all different aspects of natural resources and can impart that knowledge onto others. These student leaders have the ability to influence policy at high levels. They are dedicated to learning all they can about the environment around them. There are great kids out there, kids that want to work, that want to learn, that want to lead. My job is to work with those kids and connect them with you.
If you have any questions or want more information, maybe partner with a local program, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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Photos below: Teams compete at the High School Skills Competition during the 3rd Annual OLC Foundation Future Forestry Workers Career Day Event, February 2020. |
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Student from Al Kennedy High School sit on an oak bench milled from an oak tree that fell during Snowmaggedon.
It took four crew members with the log tongs to carry the beam from the milling site. The log was milled onsite using a Woodmizer portable sawmill.
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Surviving 2020
Oregon Women In Timber Update
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2020 has been a challenging year for OWIT. Chapter meetings were cancelled in March and April. We hoped like many that the pandemic would be a short duration, but by April 30th we gave up and decided to host a Zoom statewide meeting to get back in touch. It was good to “see” each other and find out how everyone was coping. Chapter meetings resumed in May, all via Zoom. We added two new chapters in June, increasing to six total chapters! Clatsop, Coos, Douglas, Lane, The Landing Chapter (Combination of Polk Marion and Yamhill), and Union counties.
The Douglas chapter met with Senator Kim Thatcher on June 5th, while she was visiting with county officials and Douglas Timber Operators. Her two-day visit included a tour of the Elliot forest and local sawmills. Our thirty-minute meeting went over an hour, with the DC ladies using the opportunity to share concerns about potential wildfires and the need for better forest management.
Lane and Douglas chapters both hosted an outdoor social in June. The other chapters met via Zoom or in-person as allowed throughout the summer. Besides working on local issues, chapters prepared for our annual October Forest Products Month campaign. Each chapter raised funds for local radio ads. We are very grateful to all our donors and Associated Oregon Loggers’, Friends of Paul Bunyan Foundation who donated $6,000 to be divided amongst the chapters. Douglas, Lane and Coos County also purchased television ads with KEZI (click here to view video) and the Lane chapter collaborated with Forests Today and Forever for a public Working Forest Tour. Several members participated in Podcasts (click to listen to podcasts) and submitted videos for OWIT’s new YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook for more information about our Forest Products month activities.
Click on links to hear Forest Products week radio ads produced by OWIT members:
Talk About Trees, OWIT’s forest education programs, were also dramatically affected this spring. We were only able to serve around 75,000 participants during the 2019-2020 school year, compared to 141,087 last year. Despite the pandemic, TAT has adapted our programs into 30-minute Zoom topics that are interactive, creative, and fun to teach online to classroom students. We also provide tree walks and school visits as weather permits, in school yards, treed fields and wide openings where social distancing can be practiced with small groups. It will be a challenging school year for the program, but we will do our best to adapt!
Adding to the uncertainty of this crazy year was the tragic Labor Day wind event, burning nearly a million acres of homes, farms, ranches, and timberland throughout Oregon. Many OWIT members, family and friends were directly impacted. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.
The message of proper management of our forests could not be any stronger than now and we expect as efforts shift to salvage and regrowth of forests, we will have many opportunities to reinforce this importance.
Coni-Fir has been busy developing a fun “Coni-Fir Connections” holiday-themed newsletter for Adventurers (3-6 years old) and Questers (7-12 years old). Coni invites them to join her in learning more about trees and forests in Oregon. Disconnect from technology by discovering a great place to have fun, get dirty and enjoy life! For more information and to order an activity kit for your special child: https://orwit.org/product/coni-fir-connections/ the cost is $10 per kit which includes shipping.
OWIT has been actively engaged in the planning of a multi-state video contest for high school students, called Thru the Trees Video contest. See article in this issue of the OLC NEWS newsletter. .
OWIT’s annual meeting will be held on Thursday, November 5th at 6:00 PM via Zoom. All are welcome to attend. Email info@orwit.org for the credentials to learn more about OWIT!
Lastly, we anticipate that our 30th Annual Talk About Trees auction will be held virtually, during the Oregon Logging Conference activities, Wednesday, February 24th, 2021. Plans are underway to make this a special one-hour event, with online bidding for silent auction items throughout that week. Watch for more details by following us on Facebook, our website www.orwit.org, future issues of the OLC newsletter and on the OLC website.
Photos of chapter activities in Clatsop, Coos, Douglas, Lane, The Landing Chapter (Combination of Polk Marion and Yamhill), and Union counties.
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Industry Happenings And News |
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Manley Jobs: Explore A Career As A Feller Buncher Operator. View video.
Catastrophic Wildfires Throw a Harsh Light On Failure of Forest Management. Read more.
Gilchrist Mill Sold; 150 Jobs Could Return in November. Read more.
Loggers and Lagers: How Healthy Forests Help Brew a Better Pint. Read more.
Canada Investing in the Use of Wood Products for Automotive Applications. Read more.
Municipalities Can Now Calculate for Themselves How Much Timber Construction Reduces CO2 Emissions. Read more.
Wisconsin to be featured in 'America's Forests,' hosted by Rolling Stones' keyboard player Chuck Leavell. Read more.
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Editor - Publisher - Writer
Mary Bullwinkel, Freelance Writer
Rikki Wellman, Conference Manager
541.686.9191
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Quick Links To OLC Events |
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If you have photos or an article you would like to submit for future newsletters call 541.686.9191 |
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