ROCKPORT, ME – The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast held its 29th Annual Meeting May 9-10, raising a record $186,007 for Log A Load For Kids and presenting awards to businesses and individuals from across Maine and Vermont for their contributions to the logging industry.
The meeting was held at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME., with more than 250 attending the main events Friday. Special guests at the event included former NASCAR driver and Maine native Ricky Craven. This was the first annual meeting of the PLC since its expansion in 2023 from a Maine organization to a regional one serving loggers and forest truckers across the Northeast.
The annual meeting is the PLC’s largest event and highlighted by the Log A Load for Kids Auction raising money for Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals.
“Each year this special group has come through for the families served by our Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Maine, and we could not be prouder that this year we have added Vermont to the effort,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the PLC, said. “These are very difficult times for the logging industry in the Northeast, with unprecedented market and weather challenges, and that makes this record-setting total for our auction even more impressive and inspiring. We are so grateful for the generosity shown here, and we know the families and kids are grateful as well.”
The Annual Meeting spanned two days, beginning Thursday which featured a bus tour of PLC Supporting Member Robbins Lumber’s Searsmont Eastern White Pine sawmill, lunch in Belfast, a tour of the midcoast and an evening social gathering at the Samoset Resort.
The second day, Friday, included a business meeting and presentations for all PLC Member contractors in the morning, with board and officer elections. A panel discussion followed with equipment manufacturers John Deere, Komatsu and Weiler represented followed by a presentation by the Ruffed Grouse Society of Maine. A noon luncheon featured Jon Godfrey of Godfrey Forest Products.
The evening events included the traditional Log A Load for Kids Auction, dinner, and the PLC awards ceremony. PLC’s special guest for the evening, Ricky Craven, a former NASCAR driver and racing broadcast analyst who is a Maine native, took part in the auction and donated items including autographed racing memorabilia to help boost the total.
Awards were presented to the following individuals and organizations during the evening portion of the event:
PLC Logger of the Year Awards: These awards recognize PLC Logging Contractors for their commitment to the sustainability of the industry and logging as a profession. This year for the first time the award went to two companies, one from each state that the PLC has active members. The winners are: Lincoln Farm Timber Harvesting of Randolph Center VT, and Madden Timberlands of Old Town, ME.
PLC Community Service Award: This award is given annually to a PLC member, Supporting Member or affiliated organization that has demonstrated a significant commitment to giving back to their community. The winner this year is: Elliot Jordan & Son Inc of Waltham, ME.
PLC Supporting Member Award: The PLC Supporting Member of the Year Award is presented annually to a PLC Supporting Member that has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to logging contractors in Maine. The winner this year is: Whited Peterbilt of Maine
PLC President’s Award: The President’s Award is presented to individuals or organizations within the PLC which have a significant and positive impact on the PLC and the logging industry in Maine. The winner this year is: Laurie Palow.
PLC Supporting Member Acadia Insurance presented its annual Acadia Safety Award to Madden Sustainable Forestry of Milford, ME.
The Annual Meeting is one of the PLC’s major fund-raisers to benefit CMN hospitals. Last year the PLC raised a record $287,691 by the end of 2023 for the cause, including $127,723 at the auction. The PLC’s two Log A Load golf tournaments this year will be held in August and September.
The PLC partners with the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH) and Northern Light Health Foundation in Maine for its annual Log A Load fund drive and this year for the first time is partnering with the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital in Burlington, Vermont as well. All are CMN hospitals.
The PLC and the Northern Light Health Foundation (formerly Eastern Maine Health Systems Foundation) have partnered in the Log A Load fund-raising effort since 1996. BBCH joined the Log A Load effort in 2019 and all donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. BBCH and Northern Light in Bangor both have Neonatal Intensive Care Units that have received support for years from the PLC’s Log A Load efforts.
The PLC’s Log A Load efforts have now raised more than $2.38 million since 1995.
Founded by loggers who were concerned about the future of the logging and forest trucking industry, the PLC has grown steadily to become a regional trade association which provides independent logging contractors and truckers in the Northeast a voice in the rapidly changing forest products industry. Board membership consists of only loggers, making it an organization that is run by loggers on behalf of loggers.
Learn more about the PLC at www.plcloggers.org