Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine to hold first-ever Live Online Log A Load for Maine Kids Auction Oct. 16

MILFORD – The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine will hold its annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Auction as a virtual event on Friday, Oct. 16 and is encouraging the public to register and help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Maine.

The auction will be live streamed beginning at 7 p.m. from Randall Madden Trucking, Inc. in Milford, ME, with brief presentations, live interviews including with a Children’s Miracle Network Champion Child from Maine, and auctioneer Scott Hanington running the auction in his usual fun and energetic fashion.

The PLC partners with the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH) and Northern Light Health Foundation for its annual Log A Load fund drive. BBCH in Portland and Northern Light’s Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor are Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“This year is the most challenging we have ever seen both for our Log A Load events and for our industry, but our members were determined that we would not let the ongoing pandemic stop our efforts on behalf of the kids and their families, whose needs are as great as ever,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran, said. “After a solid showing at our two Log A Load Golf Tournaments we need strong participation in the auction to reach our fund-raising goal this year, and we’d like to invite the public to participate.”

The PLC holds two annual Log A Load golf tournaments; a southern tournament at the Kezar Lake Country Club in Lovell, Maine and a northern tournament at JATO Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln, Maine. This year the two tournaments raised more than $76,000. The goal for the auction is $50,000.

“This is easily the toughest year our industry has experienced since PLC’s Log A Load efforts began 25 years ago, yet this group always comes through for the Log A Load cause and the kids,” Doran said. “The virtual auction provides a unique opportunity for us to expand our efforts to include the public this year.”

The PLC’s Annual Meeting each spring traditionally includes a Log A Load Auction that starts the fund drive for the year. This year, due to the pandemic, the PLC was forced to postpone the meeting and auction.

Details, registration, donation, and sponsorship information on the auction is available here (members of the public may register as guests): https://maineloggers.com/2020meetingauction/ 

A link to the auction and instructions for participating will be provided to registrants. Silent auction bidding will begin one week prior to the live auction.

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. 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 in Maine as possible. Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor includes a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that has received support for years from the PLC’s Log A Load efforts. More than $1.3 million have been raised by the PLC since efforts began.

The South Carolina Forestry Association started the Log A Load for Kids program in 1988. Originally, the concept was for loggers, wood-supplying businesses, and other industry supporters in various states including Maine to donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Nationally, Log A Load for Kids is a leader in CMN Hospitals’ fundraising, raising more than $2 million annually through golf tournaments, fishing events, dinners, truckloads of log donations and other events.

For more information, please visit www.logaload.org.