Wal-Mart employees and loggers educate public, raise funds for kids

DOVER, Ohio – Teaching the public about forest resources, and raising money to help treat and prevent illnesses and injury for children, are the focus of the 9th annual Forest Heritage Festival.
This year’s festival will be held at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds in Dover, Ohio, Oct. 15 and 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
In addition to ongoing events and displays, students from throughout the area will be brought in Friday to mingle with foresters, resource specialists and loggers to learn how trees grow.
They will also learn how wood products make their way from the woods to the shelves of Wal-Mart.
History. Co-sponsored by New Philadelphia Wal-Mart and the East Central Ohio Loggers Chapter, the festival has generated more than $270,000 for the Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron as part of the Log-a-Load for Kids and Children’s Miracle Network programs.
Last year itself the festival generated more than $74,000.
These proceeds are from exhibitor fees, donations, a raffle, food sales and the big charity auction that is held starting at noon Saturday.
Auction. Saturday’s auction will feature Amish-made quilts, furniture and many other quality items.
The highlight of this year’s auction will be a six-piece solid quarter-sawn oak bedroom outfit.
The popular Loggers’ Ball will be Friday evening from 6-10 p.m. A $10 admission charge will include supper in the logging town and dancing and mingling with the logging folks, plus a mock jail.
Fred Scheer’s Lumberjack Show will entertain the crowd with their competitions and demonstrations of pole climbing, ax throwing, wood chopping and burling to name a few.
Details. The festival is free and will feature activities and demonstrations including more than 40 crafters, activities for kids, chain saw sculpturing, and rail splitting.
In addition, the Life Flight air ambulance will drop in both days.
Other displays featuring trucks, equipment and forest products will also be on hand.
Special Saturday events include a chicken and sausage barbecue, the large charity auction at noon, live music, wagon rides, and portable sawmilling.
For more information, contact Dennis Cable, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, at 330-339-2205 or log on to www.forestheritagefestival.com.