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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Montana Logging Association’s Log A Load for Kids fundraising program. This annual program collects donations for the Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Montana. Since its inception in 1997, the program has raised more than $500,000 for the hospital, proving that the generosity of the timber harvesting industry is as vast as the forests where they harvest.
Funds are raised through direct donations, auctions, and raffles at the MLA Annual Membership Meeting in May and the Christmas Party in December. A popular tradition for over 20 years is the Bear Raffle for a Jeff Fleming Bear sculpture.
For 2022, the Log A Load for Kids fundraising program will donate over $25,000 to the Shodair Children’s Hospital, thanks to the generous donations from MLA members of cash and auction items ranging from homemade huckleberry pie to custom artwork.
This year’s fundraising program also featured a raffle for
a custom .22 Henry rifle donated by the American Loggers Council. Raffle tickets were sold from May until December 2
the winning ticket was drawn at the recent MLA Christmas Party. $5,900 was collected for the Shodair Children’s Hospital from this raffle alone.
Shodair Children’s Hospital provides mental health care for children and offers a nationally recognized genetic program for all ages. It is the only facility in Montana that offers acute and residential treatment services for children and adolescents. Donations to the hospital help cover costs for Montana families who cannot afford care.