Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Area Loggers Raise Money For Hospital

Arkansas' loggers and members of the forestry community demonstrated their commitment to Arkansas' most precious resource its children by raising $305,000 for Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) through the sixth annual Log-A-Load for Kids cam-paign, sponsored by the Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA) in coop-eration with the Arkansas Timber Producers Association.

Local fund-raising events were held at Prescott, Arkadelphia, Cam-den, Crossett, Magnolia, Monticello, Nashville, Petit Jean, Pine Bluff, Strong, Warren and Wilton, as well as the Arkansas Forestry Commis-sion.

The money raised at these events will go into the Log-A-Load endowment, which has grown to more than $750,000. Interest earned from the endowment supports special programs, equipment and research which helps save the lives of thousands of children each year.

Potlatch Corporation, with the help of Rails Restaurant of Waldo and area loggers, sponsored a fund-raiser fish fry for the Arkansas Children's Hospital May 14 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds where more than 550 people attended to make this event a great success.

"There is no way that we can personally thank everyone whom attended or donated," Jim Cornelius, who spearheaded the event in Prescott for Potlatch, said. "Please accept this as thanks for your support in a program that will benefit each of us sooner or later.

"The money we raised was sent to the Arkansas Forestry Association in Little Rock to be part of check presented May 31 on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon, which was broadcast with live local segments from KTHV, channel 11, in Little Rock" Cornelius said.

"The statewide goal for this year was $180,00, but we helped raise $305,000, he continued. "This money goes into an endowment fund, where only the interest is used. Our money will continue to benefit children for years to come."

Arkansas forest products companies honored the effort by making contributions to the hospital through the Log-A-Load campaign. Weyerhaeuser Company, which operates in several communities throughout the state, Anthony Timberlands in Bearden, and Price Companies in Monticello provided leadership dollars for the 1998 Log- A-Load campaign.

Arkansas is one of 24 states involved in fund-raising efforts under the Log-A-Load For Kids umbrella.

The program started in South Carolina in 1988 when two loggers decided to give something back to their local communities by contributing an amount equivalent to a load of logs to their local children's hospital. This act of kindness spread throughout the country.

Today forestry groups raise more than $2 million nationwide each year to support hospitals participating in the Children's Miracle Network (CMN).

"We are proud to be just one of many efforts to raise money for Arkansas Children's Hospital," Sam Westbrook of Nashville, who is Arkansas' logger of the year, said. "It is incredibly worthwhile to be involved in a program that touches so many Arkansas families." Westbrook presented the $305,000 check on May 31 during the CMN Weekend of Champions Telethon.

The Log-A-Load For Kids program continues to grow as one of the leading fund-raising campaigns for Arkansas Children's Hospital. "Log-A-Load is successful, because we're committed to ensuring that our children, like our forests, are healthy, productive and growing for the future," Westbrook said.

For more information on Log-A- Load For Kids, contact AFA communications director Anna Swaim at (501) 374-2441.