What happens when the logging community, local families, and outdoor enthusiasts join forces for a great cause? History is made.

On April 11, 2026, the Log A Load For Kids Piedmont District hosted its annual skeet shoot and live auction, and the results were nothing short of extraordinary. This year’s event raised a record-breaking $155,527 for the children and families at Children’s of Alabama.

By the Numbers

The energy at the range was electric, fueled by friendly competition and a shared mission to support pediatric healthcare.

• Massive Turnout: 86 teams and 17 individual participants registered for this year’s skeet shoot.
• Auction Excellence: Live and silent auctions were the stars of the show, bringing in over $84,000 thanks to the incredible generosity of prize donors and auction bidders.
• Grand Total: The $155,527 raised marks a new milestone for the Piedmont District’s signature event!

More Than Just a Shoot

This year’s event was a true community festival. While the shooters were on the course, families enjoyed:

• The Equipment Display: Kids (and kids at heart) got an up-close look at the massive machinery that keeps our industry moving.
• ‘Guess the Load’ Contest: A crowd favorite that tested everyone’s estimation skills!
• Food Trucks: Keeping everyone fueled with local favorites throughout the day.

A Heartfelt Thank You

To our sponsors, volunteers, shooters, and donors: Thank you. Your commitment ensures that Children’s of Alabama can continue providing world-class care to those who need it most. We are constantly humbled by the way the timber industry steps up to “Log A Load” for our kids.

Save the Date for 2027!

We’re already looking forward to beating this record next year. Mark your calendars and get ready for another great fundraiser:

• Next Event: April 3, 2027
• Location: Lafayette, AL

See you there!

It’s that time of year again – nominations for the Log A Load For Kids Volunteer of the Year award are now open! Your nomination can make all the difference. Nominate today!

This is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes who have shown exceptional leadership and dedication in supporting the Log A Load For Kids program. The winner will be recognized during the American Loggers Council annual meeting September 17-19^th in Lafayette, LA.

Roy Holder of Richton, MS was recognized as the 2024 Volunteer of the Year. Roy works professionally in the timber industry but also volunteers his skills as an auctioneer to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at Log A Load auctions across the country! We’re so thankful for Roy’s gifts of his time and talents, and we look forward to recognizing another outstanding volunteer in 2025.

Who Can Be Nominated? The ideal nominee is someone who has gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise funds and advance the mission of Log A Load For Kids. They are generous participants and/or leaders who have not only contributed their time and resources but have also inspired others to do the same.

How to Nominate? Nominations can be submitted by email to sherrihansen181@gmail.com and logaloadforkids@cmnhospitals.org. Please include a 2025 Volunteer Nomination Form  as well as a brief narrative that describes the efforts, projects, or activities undertaken by the nominee that have demonstrated exemplary leadership in raising funds and/or advancing the Log A Load For Kids program. You can choose to give examples of accomplishments or describe the impacts of the nominees work on the community, CMN hospitals, the forest products industry, and/or Log A Load For Kids.

Deadline for Nominations Please send in your nominations by August 15, 2025.

Let’s come together to celebrate the individuals who tirelessly work to ensure the success of Log A Load For Kids. Nominate your Volunteer of the Year today and let’s give them the recognition they deserve!

Mark your calendars!

For the 22nd year Mark Mowrey and our many other volunteers will be spending the third weekend of August (this year August 16-18) at the Woodsmen’s Field Days in Boonville New York.

Mark Mowrey, who has chaired the NYS Log-a-Load for Kids for the past 20+ years has a goal this year to raise $25,000 in this one weekend. This will help them to hopefully reach the 2019 goal of $35,000 to donate to CMN.

Thank you in advance, and wish us luck!! Gillian MowreyNYS Log-a-Load

The Forest Resources Association (FRA) recently awarded top loggers across the country during their Annual Meetings this week. 

As a part of their awards they were given cash prizes to celebrate their accomplishments.  Without exception, each winner gave that money immediately to Log A Load for Kids and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The winners and donors include: Jeff Widmer, Cliff Shermer, Paul Davis & Josh & Cindy Key.  In total, Log A Load raised $3,641 in a single evening through the sheer generosity of these amazing loggers.

 

 

The 21st annual Klays for Kids fundraiser was held May 4 at Backwoods Quail Club.

Approximately $147,000 was successfully raised on the day according to Amy McFadden, co-coordinator of the event.

“We really appreciate getting to use the facility every year. We started from $5,000 our first year to $174,000 in 2018, she said. “We have come a long way from the beginning and are so thankful for everyone’s participation in this event.”

Klays for Kids is a fundraising event that is sponsored by Log-a-load for Kids and the South Carolina Forestry Association. All money raised will be donated to the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital that is slated to open in October.

 

“This event is so important to us. All of the money raised goes to things like innovative research, life-saving equipment and will also help finish  the children’s hospital,” said Amy Osborn the program director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at MUSC Children’s Heath. “All of this goes so far with our goal of helping our patients.”

 

Two hundred and twenty-eight shooters of all ages lined the course during the early morning hours to shoot clay targets and compete for prizes, but most importantly they were able donate to a worthy cause.

After completing everyone gathered for lunch and to hear the announcement of winners and door prizes. Some of the patrons that won door prizes immediately had them auctioned off to raise even more money for the hospital.

 

In the clay shooting competition, Will Hemingway won the Youth Class and Ron Poston won the Logger Class. Jackson Lowder, Billy Hemingway and Jay Broan were winners in the Lewis Classes.

Log-a-Load for Kids originated in South Carolina in 1988 as a program designed to demonstrate loggers’ commitment to community service and professionalism. The program is now national in scope.

 

 

 

• By Richard Caines rcaines@southstrandnews.com

Log A Load scores for CHIPS children’s charity

The Piedmont District Log A Load for kid’s fundraiser was held this weekend in LaFayette. It was kicked off early Saturday morning with 43 registered teams of men, women and teens.The shoot consisted of a 50 skeet course with 12 stations. While the main focus of Log A Load is to raise money for the children’s charity CHIPS, it was also a fun family day! 

A large number of organizations displayed all kinds of logger toys and equipment at the Oaks in LaFayette.

There were buggies, trucks and several pieces of large logging equipment. Larry Calhoun won the gun sponsored by Reynolds that was raffled off. Mandy Cain recognized Chris’s son who sold over 300 gun raffle tickets himself. Cain also thanked the Oaks Gun Club and Glenn and Tammy Morgan for hosting the event.

There was a silent auction and a live auction, which included everything from Martha Sander’s red velvet cake to a Husqvarna Zero Turn Lawn mower from Tallassee Power Equipment. Auctioneer Dr. Crowder and helper Walter Allen had their hands full with so many people interacting in the fun of a live auction. With everyone knowing the money was going to a good cause, the price of most of the items went high.

One logger said “It is not about what you win at the auction it is just about having fun and making a donation to kids.” Martha Sanders cake went for $610.00!

Mandy Cain the organizer of the Log A Load said, ” This was another successful year. We had a good turn out. One team registered was all the way from Yucca, Arizona. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this weekend will go to Children’s CHIPS program.”

CHIPS Children’s Hospital Intervention and Prevention Services has been an outpatient center at Children’s of Alabama since 1995 where children who have experienced suspected abuse and their families impacted by suspected abuse can come for support, hope, and healing. Deb Schneider thanked Mandy Cain for all of her work and told the crowd gathered that the Piedmont District was one the of the most generous groups they had who supported their organization.

The game results: Skeet Team Results 1st place team: The Lane Train (Lane Aldridge, Josh Aldridge, Crystal Townsend, Brady Edmonton Score 160) 2nd place was Alabama Environmental Forest with a score of 151 and 3rd place was the Potts Team with a score of 149; Skeet Top Female shooter was Crystal Townsend 38 score; Top Male Shooter was Josh Aldridge 39 score; Youth 8-11 was CJ Pike score 28; Youth 12-17 Jacob Oliver score 39 tied with Dylan Williams score 39 Oliver won in a shoot off; Loader Contest was won by Nick Dodgen with a time of 303..99, Ryan Moncus won the cooler donated by Truckwox for long shot.

As reported by Jody Stewart-Correspondent

Parade of Loggers

Hosted by the

Pennsylvania Timber  Show

June 7, 2019

Come join us!

Pennsylvania loggers will drive through downtown State College to deliver donated logs to benefit local children’s hospitals.

The parade will depart from the State College Spikes parking lot adjacent to Penn State’s Beaver Stadium at 10:00 a.m.

After the parade, join us at the Ag Progress Days site, where children can see trucks up close and adults can learn more about the Pennsylvania Timber Show.

Event sponsors: Pennsylvania Forest Products Association and The Pennsylvania Forestry Association To enter the Log-A-Load Charity Parade, contact the PA Forest Products Association at 1-800-232-4562.

For more information, visit   agsci.psu.edu/timber

Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences is implied.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Produced by Ag Communications and Marketing            U.Ed. AGR 19-70    Code 4708    3/19pdf

 

The Log A Load Parade is fast becoming a tradition at the biennial PA Timber Show. It is an opportunity to to shine your truck up and show it off to to your industry peers. Every dollar donated to Log A Load For Kids goes directly to the Children’s Miracle Network to help these brave children in their time of need.  Register today to join us for this fun event, or if you can’t participate, then please consider a donation to this worthwhile cause.

Brant Forcey

Timber Show Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2019

Happy 31th Anniversary Log A Load state forestry and logging association members!

We have compiled the 2018 fundraising numbers. Together our state logging and forestry associations have raised over $2.3 million as a national partner for CMN Hospitals. Log A Load For Kids is one of the top 15 partners for CMN Hospitals.  Thank you for your dedication and continued support of your local CMN Hospital. In 2018 Log A Load for kids will reach the incredible 30- year fundraising total of $50 million. This total has been raised through your local fundraising efforts.

We kicked off our 31^th anniversary celebration together March 21^st in Orlando at the CMN Hospital’s Celebration.  For those of you who attended and participated on the phone conference, thank you for a great annual meeting. It was great to hear the fundraisers that your state associations participated in and we appreciate your taking the time to share your successful fundraising events with our participating states.

We are proud to announce our Volunteer of the year – Jay Wolfe from Savannah, Tennessee.  Jay first began working with Log A Load for Kids in 1998 and is employed by Hankins Forest Products.  Since 1998 Jay has organized the Richard Jones Memorial Log A Load For Kids Golf Tournament, which has raised over $500,000.00 for the LaBonheur Children’s Hospital. He has also helped with many other fundraising events in Tennessee.

We would like to thank Jay and all the volunteers who were nominated, there were some incredible stories of support! Thanks also to all the volunteers who continue each year to support their local children’s hospital through Log A Load for Kids.  We know there are many volunteers who spend endless hours planning and putting together fundraising events. We look forward to the annual Forest Resources meeting so we can reward and thank Jay for all his hard work and dedication to Log A Load For Kids in Tennessee.

As I hand over the gavel to our next chair person, I would like to thank all of you for your heartfelt support the past several years as the Log A Load For Kids Foundation Chair. I will cherish all the friendships we have made and look forward to continuing to support and volunteer for Log A Load For Kids.

Please welcome Lee Anne Fitzgerald from New Orleans with Retif Oil & Fuel, formally from Arkansas. I know she will a great leader for Log A Load For Kids Foundation, as she has been in Arkansas.

I am sure many of you have seen first-hand the incredible work at these children’s hospitals. Log A Load donations ensure that the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals have the medical equipment and supplies necessary to be able to treat sick and injured children in your community, giving hope to millions of kids in need.  These children’s hospitals are there to treat our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Thank you for your help in ensuring this great work continues.

We have so many generous volunteers and donors who are willing to help with our fundraising efforts! Thank you for your generous and heartfelt efforts on behalf of children’s hospitals.

Sincerely

Sherri Hansen

Chair, Log A Load for Kids Foundation

 

LOG A LOAD FOR KIDS        www.logaload.org

PIEDMONT DISTRICT – LOG A LOAD FOR KIDS

SPORTING CLAY SHOOT IN CHAMBERS COUNTY

Saturday, May 4th at 8:00 AM CST Registration begins at 7:30 AM CST

Hosted by the Oaks at 18151 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, LaFayette, AL 36862

SHELLS NOT PROVIDED!      50 Clay Shoot & Turkey Shoot Station

Muligan’s and Long Shot’s will be offered as well!!

Live-Auction starts at 3:00 PM CST              BBQ, Hamburgers, & Hotdogs

Children 8 and up will be able to shoot on teams, if under 18 must have parent or guardian present to sign consent form

Plaques will be awarded for the top 3 scoring teams. Plaques & Prizes awarded for the top scoring Individual, and two different youth divisions. Continue reading “Alabama Piedmont District Log A Load 2019”

Mark your calendars!

Our 2019 Klays for Kids sporting clays tournament is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 at Backwoods Quail Club.

David Powell, CMNH 2019 Champion, will be coming out to represent MUSC and shoot with his family – along with our local MUSC babies and their families! Registration begins at 8:30 and all shooters must be on the course by 12:00.

Last year, in 2018, we celebrated our 20th Anniversary and had our biggest year ever with nearly 250 shooters!

We challenged our Sponsors to bump up a sponsor level and for some of our participants that meant a $1000 donation became a $2500 donation!

We ALMOST met our $200,000.00 goal and raised over $170,000.00 for Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital at the Medical University of South Carolina. That brings us to a twenty year total of over $950,000.00!

More details will be posted about this event as we get closer to the date