More than a dozen Minnesota logging companies banded together to raise money for Log A Load For Kids, an annual nationwide campaign in which loggers and others in the forest products community donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospital.

Spearheaded by Brady Hasbargen of Whitefish Creek Logging of Birchdale, MN, this week’s harvest is expected to raise nearly $20,000. 

“It’s heartwarming to see all of these businesses come together to support kids and families that need a hand,” Hasbargen says.  “Loggers love to help their communities.  It wasn’t hard finding people to lend a hand.”

The cause hit close to home Hasbargen, a longtime member of Minnesota’s Log A Load For Kids fundraising committee.  Earlier this year his nephew suffered a severe brain injury.  While visiting him in a Twin Cities hospital, Hasbargen heard first-hand the importance of the care provided by the Children’s Miracle Network through Gillette Children’s Hospital.

“It really opened my eyes how amazing it is where our money goes,” Hasbargen says.  “Unfortunately, our nephew didn’t improve enough to receive care from Gillette, but I spoke with the doctors and nurses who care for those kids.  They told me how important our donations are.  When you hear where the money goes and how it helps, you realize how important the program is.  It made me completely re-dedicate myself to helping Log A Load.”

The harvest has been underway in the Pine Island State Forest west of International Falls.  Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) had purchased the standing timber from the Minnesota DNR and donated it to the Log A Load effort.  Hasbargen’s Whitefish Creek logging conducted the harvest in accordance with Minnesota’s Forest Management Guidelines.  On Thursday October 31^st, several logging and trucking companies will haul the timber to PCA’s paper mill in International Falls.  In all, more than a dozen Minnesota companies are lending a hand to the effort.

The Children’s Miracle Network is the largest network of children’s hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, dedicated to making a profound impact on children’s health.  This includes Gillette Children’s Hospitals and Clinics throughout Minnesota, including the main hospital in St. Paul and a clinic in Duluth.  Established in 1897, Gillette became the nation’s first public hospital for children who have disabilities.  For more than 125 years, Gillette has focused on some of the toughest challenges in pediatric medicine, caring for brain, bone and movement conditions needing specialized expertise.

Donations to Children’s Miracle Network like those through Log A Load for Kids fund efforts like critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays, and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services.

Minnesota companies participating in this week’s Log A Load For Kids harvest:

• Whitefish Creek Logging, Birchdale
• Erickson Timber, Baudette
• Hasbargen Logging, Birchdale
• Kennedy Logging, International Falls
• Lovdahl & Sons Logging, Effie
• Mannco Trucking, International Falls
• Northland Logging and Trucking, Orr
• Peterson Logging, Loman
• Sunne Logging, International Falls
• Delack Logging, Littlefork
• Junker Logging, Littlefork
• Ferrier Logging, Baudette
• Ziemba Logging, Littlefork
• Dobbs Logging, Littlefork
• Ryan Sokoloski Trucking, Orr
• Colton Hasbargen, Littlefork
• Rainy Lake Oil, International Falls
• Northern Star Coop, Deer River
• Corporate 4 Insurance
• Choice Insurance
• Packaging Corporation of America, International Falls