2021 OLC Theme - "FAMILY, FRIENDS & FORESTRY"

June 2020 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Vol. 4 Issue 12

In this issue: Family, Friends and Forestry . That’s the theme selected for the 83rd Annual Oregon Logging Conference in February 2021, scholarship recipients are announced by the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation, OLC hires Conference Coordinator and timber industry news. Have a safe and happy 4 ^th of July.

WE WISH YOU A

SAFE & HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

"FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FORESTRY"

The theme for the 2021 Oregon Logging Conference, “FAMILY, FRIENDS, and FORESTRY” , is aimed at honoring family, loggers and the timber industry by highlighting who we are, what we do, have done, and are planning to do.

Oregon Logging Conference President Scott Melcher suggested the theme at the recent OLC spring board meeting and it was met with unanimous acceptance and support from the other Board of Director members present.

“All three are tied together,” Melcher said. “My thoughts were to showcase the generations of families and friends that have been involved in logging and timber.”

The theme calls attention to the many companies that have multiple generations of the same Family involved, and the proud heritage that is carried on.

The importance of Friends cannot be overemphasized. At the OLC and other related association gatherings annually, old friends reconnect to catch up on what has transpired over the past 12 months. New friends are made easily because of a shared bond, a shared lifestyle, a shared dedication to Family, Friends and Forestry.

Forestry is our livelihood, our culture, our way of life. And it wouldn’t be what it is without Family and Friends.

“I consider Forestry to be generational,” Melcher said. “Learning from yesterday, providing for today, and investing in the future. It’s a long-term commitment,” he added, “one that I and so many others make on a daily basis. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Melcher said. “FAMILY, FRIENDS and FORESTRY” , are a very important part of our lives.”

Working On The Details

OLC officers, directors, staff, and volunteers are working on program details to identify potential speakers and facilitate informative and thought-provoking seminars and panel discussion topics.

As stated before, there is uncertainty surrounding the 2021 Oregon Logging Conference, stemming from the pandemic that has changed the way we all do things. We are moving forward with planning for the OLC, which is currently scheduled for February 25, 26 & 27, 2021 at the Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds in Eugene. We hope to be able to offer the same list of activities and events in conjunction with the OLC, but time will tell.

The registration fee is $95 and includes the following activities:

Wednesday pre-registration meet & greet at the Graduate Eugene
Thursday opening breakfast, meetings, and social networking at the popular Sawdust Bowl, which concludes Thursday activities
Friday opening breakfast, meetings, break-out seminar sessions, and social networking at the Friday Sawdust Bowl.
An opportunity to sign up for the 12^th Annual Log Loader Competition.
See the largest equipment show west of the Mississippi, with millions of dollars of logging, construction, and heavy equipment on display.
Attend OLC activities and earn Pro Logger credits

More specifics will be found in future issues of the OLC NEWS newsletter.

Visit our website for updated information or call the OLC office 541.686.9191

Twenty Scholarship Recipients Selected

Twenty Oregon and Washington college students will be furthering their educational pursuits with financial assistance in the form of scholarships from the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation and the Carl Welle Memorial Scholarship.

These students will receive a total of $40,000 worth of scholarships, and two of the students have received OLCF assistance previously.

Twelve of the students are attending four-year schools and they are:

Daniel Virtue of Sweet Home, OR is studying Forest Engineering. He is receiving $3,500 in scholarships ($3000 from OLFC and $500 from the Thompson Family). Daniel is a fourth year return recipient.
Matthew Scheuber of Chehalis, WA is studying Forest and Civil Engineering. He is receiving a $3,500 scholarship from OLCF.
Justin Helgren of Elkton, OR is studying Forest Management. He is receiving a $2,000 scholarship from Pay It Forward and $1,000 OLCF scholarship.
Ashley Bracken is from Roseburg, OR and is studying Forest Management/Fire and Restoration. She is receiving a $3,000 OLCF scholarship. Ashley is a second year return recipient.
Rachel Villarreal of Keizer, OR is studying Forest Engineering. She is receiving a $2,500 OLCF scholarship.
Aylass Broaddus of Bend, OR is studying Forest Management/Forest Restoration and Fire. She is receiving a $2,000 OLCF scholarship
Angus Kjos of Winston, OR is studying Forest Operations Management. He is receiving a $2,000 OLCF scholarship
Jacob Payne of Camas Valley, OR is studying Forest Management. He is receiving a $2,000 scholarship donated by Bell Lumber & Pole (John Ottoviani) scholarship.
Karissa Hadermann of Nehalam, OR is studying Natural Resource or Forest Management. She is receiving a $2,000 OLCF scholarship.
Andrea Knudson of Alsea, OR is studying Forest Operations Management. She is receiving a $1,500 scholarship donated by Thompson Family scholarship.
Kaija Olson of Woodland, WA is studying Business Operations. She is receiving $1,000 in scholarships $500 from OLCF and $500 from Carolyn & Bob Magathan)
Maya Greydanus of Corvallis, OR is studying Forest Management/Forest Restoration and Fire. She is receiving a $1000 donated by Thompson Family scholarship.

All of the students listed above are attending Oregon State University except Olson, who is attending University of Washington.

Eight of the recipients are attending a two-year vocational college and they are:

Hunter Hutchins of Lebanon, OR is studying Heavy Equipment/Diesel Technology and is receiving a $2,000 OLCF scholarship.
Ben Bressel of Happy Valley, OR is studying Diesel Service Technology and is receiving a $1,500 OLCF scholarship.
Kent Burkholder of Albany, OR is studying Applied Science in Diesel Mechanics and is receiving a $1,500 Thompson Family scholarship
Samantha Mitchell of Cascadia, OR is studying Machine Tool and CNC and is receiving $1,500 in scholarships donated by $1,000 from Boise Cascade and $500 from the Thompson Family.
Ethan Winters of Glide, OR is studying Welding and is receiving $1,000 in scholarships $500 donated by Hap and Lory Huffman and $500 OLCF scholarship.
Luke Mehlschau of Jefferson, OR is studying Forest Engineering and is receiving a $1,000 scholarship donated by Starker Forests.
Carter Kunert of Tillamook, OR is studying Forest/Civil Engineering and is receiving a $1,000 OLCF scholarship
Caleb Woods of Eugene, OR is studying Diesel Mechanics and is receiving $3,500 of scholarships $2,500 donated by the Carl Welle Memorial scholarship and $1,000 OLCF scholarship.

All of the students listed above are attending Linn Benton Community College except for Bressel who is attending Portland Community College, Winters who is attending Umpqua Community College and Woods who is attending Lane Community College.

A special note on the Carl Welle Memorial Scholarship fund. This fund was established to honor the late Carl Welle, who graduated from Thurston High School and pursued a career as a paramedic until he bought his first D-4 Cat and found his true passion for logging. He turned his passion into owning his own company, Riverridge Excavating and Logging.

The recipient of this scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year, Caleb Woods, was selected from one of the 32 students who submitted applications to the Oregon Logging Conference Foundation.

It is the hope of Welle’s family that the recipients of this scholarship will pursue an education in forestry, natural resources or other careers that involve a life spent working in and enjoying the forests. Welle’s family believes this is a way of paying tribute to Carl, while giving a worthy student the boost forward that Carl would have appreciated.

Since the OLCF program was established in 1968 more than five decades ago, Nearly 400 scholarships with a value of over $915,000 have been awarded.

Learn more about each recipient in the July issue of the OLC NEWS which were will show case each recipient. Starting on December 1st applications for the 2021-2022 college year will be accepted. Deadline for the application is April 1st. Click here for more details on the OLC Foundation scholarship program.

Three New Faces on the Oregon Logging Conference Board of Directors

The Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) has added three new members to its Board of Directors, all who have been life-long supporters of the logging industry. An OLC welcome to Justin Stokes, Chris Melcher, and Chad Bell!

Chad Bell has grown up in and around the logging industry. “My grandfather had a small family logging operation that he would allow me to tag along at a young age on weekends and during the summer,” Chad said. “That is where my fascination with logging and operating equipment began,” he added. Chad has worked for Wayne Stone Logging for 17 years, supervising the ground-based operations. “My duties include bidding, interacting with clients/customers, scheduling, and day to day operations,” he said. He also has a small excavating business on the side. Chad and wife Jill, who also works in the industry, participate and volunteer in outreach programs that promote the logging industry “that we are both passionate about,” he said. “I want to help educate about the logging and timber industry,” Chad added, “and be a positive example of the good things of the timber industry.”

Justin Stokes is at the helm of the family-owned Stokes Construction Company. This company was started in 1972 by his father and two uncles, and today employs 25 to 30 full time workers. Justin said his grandfather worked for a road builder and taught his dad and uncles how to build logging roads. “I grew up riding on the arm rest of a dozer during the summer and eventually running a hand shovel,” Justin said. He worked his way up to greasing trucks and working in the shop after school, and then running equipment and estimating jobs. “I always had a lot of ambition and drive to one day take over the business,” Justin said. “We look forward to supporting our employees and their families for many years to come,” he added. He and his wife Brandy (of 22 years) have three children ages 19, 15, and 13 and all have shown an interest in the business and the industry. Justin said their oldest child is attending college with an interest in being a P.E. and forestry teacher.

Chris Melcher has just graduated from Oregon State University, where he studied Forest Operations and Management. “I graduated this spring of 2020 and have moved on to begin work for my family’s logging company in Sweet Home, OR, Melcher Logging,” Chris said. “I will be the fourth generation of the Melcher family to begin a career at the company, and plan to work among the logging industry for many years to come,” he added. Chris said in his free time he enjoys riding dirt bikes and hanging out with friends and family, while recreating on a few of his family’s tree farms in the Sweet Home area. “I am excited to be beginning work in the forest industry,” Chris said, “and even more excited to start my association with the Oregon Logging Conference.

Sara Windom Joins the OLC as

Conference Coordinator

The Oregon Logging Conference has hired a Conference Coordinator to be part of the team that organizes and plans the annual OLC gathering. Sara Windom will join the energetic team of Conference Manager Rikki Wellman and Conference Assistant Katie Dills.

Small business owner and Sweet Home, OR resident Windom will start her new job on July 1, 2020.

“Sara will be taking over the planning of a few events at the OLC,” Wellman said, “as she learns the planning details of other events and projects associated with OLC. We are excited to have Sara on board and look forward to her fresh new ideas,” Wellman added.

“I am excited at the prospect of bringing my talents to the Oregon Logging Conference,” Windom said, “and I believe my experience and qualifications will prove valuable in my Conference Coordinator role. I was raised in a family supported by the timber industry,” she added, “and have had the pleasure of attending many past Oregon Logging Conferences and events. I am a great advocate of the Oregon Logging Conference and the timber industry generally,” Windom said. Windom and husband Mike have two children, Emily and Jacob.

As Conference Manger for the last 47 years, Wellman couldn’t be more proud of her staff, and Windom as the latest addition. Dills, the OLC Conference Assistant has been working with Wellman and the team for the past nine years. Dills is married to Justin and they have one child, Tinley.

Wellman said she truly enjoys the industry, the OLC Board of Directors and what the Oregon Logging Conference stands for. She said she takes tremendous pride in planning the OLC each year and is confident that Windom will be the perfect addition to her team.

OLC Bylaws Update

Business has been anything but usual recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic which has included orders to the shelter at home and quarantine. In light of these changing times, the Oregon Logging Conference has taken a close look at its bylaws and has updated two sections.

OLC President Scott Melcher appointed a committee to review the bylaws, which were originally written and approved in the late 1940s. Many of the ways we do business today were not available back then, and therefore were not included in the bylaws.

The two sections of the updated bylaws that were voted on by a quorum of Board of Directors attending the recently held spring meeting are:

Article III, Section 5 Virtual Attendance

When deemed necessary by the current officers and Conference Manager that extraordinary circumstances exist and that it is imperative that a quorum is present, the Board of Directors meetings shall provide an electronic platform or other appropriate method(s) for those directors who cannot attend in person.

Announcements of virtual meeting attendance shall be delivered to the directors, not more than 10 days or less than 4 days prior to the scheduled board of directors meeting. It is imperative that the directors strive to meet in person as much as is safe and practical. The Virtual Option shall not replace normal in person meetings.

Article IV, Section 8 Officer Ascension

In the event of unforeseen circumstances that cause the annual convention to be cancelled, the Board of Directors shall by a vote of a quorum of not less than 25 Directors approve to extend the current Officers terms by one year. If the current President elects not to extend their current term, the first Vice President will then attain the position of President. The second and third Vice Presidents shall ascend accordingly.

A complete review of the bylaws is also underway.

INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS AND NEWS

Cool Tools of the Trade Music In the Woods. View Video

When Smokey Bear turned 75 he got a new voice. Do you know who is the voice of Smokey the Bear? Read more.

Logger Relief Package: COVID 19 Economic Damage Relief Package for Logging & Trucking Companies in the Forest Products Industry. Read More.

Every soot-smudged wild-land firefighter in the last century has known the name of this hero. History of Pulaski. Read more.

Oregon prepares to for Fire Season. Read more.

Good to Know. Read more.

There are many jobs in the forest products industry in the forestry professionals category. View Video.

How much CO2 would a skyscraper save if it was made of wood? View Video.

We’re All In This Together

Several regional conferences were canceled or postponed this year due to the pandemic. Now, more than ever, the importance of staying connected cannot be over-emphasized. We are all in this together. We are all one industry and we need to stand together and support each other. It is our livelihood, our culture that we must continue.

To stay connected with the Oregon Logging Conference’s “sister” conferences, please click on the website links below for more information