Year: 2012

As I pen this message to you, I can’t help but reflect on the aspects of what really makes each of us so successful.   It is that unseen, but totally innate, part of each of us that makes us give our best, to be the best and succeed in what we set out to do?   Like those who sat around a table one evening who had a vision and created the Log A Load For Kids program to help the kids.

As most of you know, Log A Load For Kids has no real corporate backing, offices, or paid staff; yet the program will have raised over $35 million dollars for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals by our 25th anniversary.   What we’ve raised for the kids across the United States, and how we’ve raised it, still impresses me every time I share what we’ve done (and what we continue to do) with others.

Unfortunately, one of Log A Load For Kids’ long time supporters, dedicated Virginia State Chairperson, Robbie Robertson, part of a husband and wife team, will no longer see the benefits of his efforts.   After 13 years of surviving pancreatic cancer, Robbie finally succumbed to this disease–but not before becoming one of the very “miracles” we all try to provide to the kids through the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.   His complete and dedicated support of almost every event held in Virginia, and in other neighboring states, helped to bring Log A Load and everybody’s real dedication to the forefront.   I will miss him sorely, and so will everybody else, but none so much as his wife, Nikki, who remains our Virignia State Chairwoman.

It is the integrity, the energy, the fervor, the belief in what we do, and the successes which we see around us that keep us all continuing to do our best to influence others to join us, however they can.   We can help our organization grow and become more productive, not for ourselves, but for the kids we all want to help and their families, who so desperately need our support.   Let’s all try to inspire new voluneers and also raise the consciousness of the rest of our forest industry so that every organization will strive to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the United States.   We’ve already shown what we can do for the past 24 years, so let’s see if we can rise to the challenge of growing our Log A Load volunteers, events, and successes as we move into our 25th year.

More than anything, please be safe, whether logging, papermaking, sawmilling, driving, cruising timber or whatever you do in your everyday life.   It’s all of us collectively, that inside energy, spirt, and dedication that goes a long way to “making us so successful.”

Thank you for what you do best.

Rich Palermo
Chiar
Log A Load For Kids Foundation

WINTER’S DEMISE, SPRING’S HOPE!

Well, in spite of everything stand-in groundhog Puxatawney Pete had to say about it, the Eastern U.S. has just come out of a mild winter, and I hope improved conditions for homebuilding–and logging–continue to line up, here and across the nation, supporting a sustained recovery in all parts of our economy.

Here in Charlottesville, Virginia, we’ve broken ground, and the new University of Children’s Hospital, known as the Battle Building, has begun to rise–in part, due to help from our local Log A Load For Kids contributions over the past years.   Virginia Log A Load For Kids recently pledged to sponsor and build a chemotherapy infusion bay–a cheerful space filled with light and color–where kids can feel comfortable and safe while receiving this necessary, and not-so-kind, treatment to save their lives.

Kids like Hannah.

Children with cancer face a long and difficult recovery.  For Hannah, her cancer treatment lasted two and a half years–typical for children with leukemia.   During that time, Hannah, who had just turned nine, underwent frequent chemotherapy infusions and spinal sedations, sometimes several times a week.   It was hard to keep her spirits up.  Now, three years later, she is “learning gymnastics and enjoying life, family and friends to the fullest,” her Mom writes.

Hannah had a positive outlook, positive thinking, and a lot of support from her family and friends to get her through the most difficult time in her young life.   Having these attitudes helped Hannah recover her health and wellbeing…Not only will she live longer and healtheir, but she’ll have better chances for ultimate success in her life.   Hannah’s optimism and affirmations are an example to all of us.

Please continue to do what we all do best in encouraging others to support their Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals through the ongoing suport of our Log A Load For Kids efforts.   The innovation of this fantastic group of volunteers and “partners in inspiration” is what gives these children, like Hannah, the opportunity for a healthy, happy and long life.

May your spring flowers sprout, may your trees bloom full, and may you have success in fundraising to help make miracles for our precious resource–our children!

My name is Rich Palermo, and I am honored and humbled to be elected the first Log A Load For Kids Foundation Chairman of the Board.   I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincerest gratitude to our past Chairwoman, Lisa Medici of Medici Logging, from Westwood, California, for her success in leading the Log A Load For Kids Advisory Group to its newly gained Foundation status.

Currently I am the Area Chairman of the Log A Load For Kids program working alongside the Unviersitiy of Virginia Children’s Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia.   I have been a Procurement Forester with Greif Packaging LLC for the past 28 years.   The support and encouragement from Greif, along with the loggers, foresters, sawmills, paper mills, equipment dealers, and all the other industry personnel that I’ve been associated with in my years with Log A Load are the reason why I continue to be so positive about what we all do for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The Log A Load For Kids Foundation will be among those attending the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration, to meet selected ambassadors from each of the United States and across Canada.   The Celebration recognizes these remarkable children, who have triumphed despite severe medical challenges, for their courage and tenacity.   Attending the CMN Hospitals Celebration has strengthened my commitment to making the Foundation, a continued success.   I encourage you, at least once, to attend this Celebration of life, healing, hope, and success….the miracles you all work so hard to help provide.

I’d like to share a personal highlight of my own, from a CMN Telethon at the Unviersity of Virginia Children’s Hospital.   At that event, ten of the kids from the patient rooms came down to the lobby and were photographed on the autographed Bruce Springsteen motorcycle.   Each one of these pictures was sent to Bruce Springsteen, along with a thank you note.

One of those ten children, was a boy, just eleven years old, who was an avid fan of Bruce’s.   At that time, he was waiting for a heart transplant.  As it happened, he lost his battle, and his life a few weeks later.   When his Mom called me with the sad news — a phone call I’ll never forget — she also let me know that it was such a thrill for her child to know that his picture had been sent to Bruce.  When I informed Bruce’s manager of this sad event, he immediately sent the family tickets and backstage passes to a local Bruce Springsteen show, with the hope of Bruce’s performing their child’s favorite tune:  “Born In the USA.”

This child, along with millions of others, did not have time on his side.   I want to encourage you to continue to do what you do so well to help grow our efforts, so that our most precious resource, our children, have the opportunity to be treated and cured and ultimately survive.

Rich Palermo
Chair
Log A Load For Kids Foundation