The Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) and the local Forest Industry Members in Prince Albert joined other members nationwide to celebrate the National Forest Week by organizing a fundraiser called ‘Log a Load for Kids’ on Friday.
The goal was to raise funds for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. The fundraiser included selling a burger and a pop for $15. Gift items like customized pens, and lip gloss were also added to those who purchased the burger.
Association of Saskatchewan Forestry Professionals member Darryl Sande said the event concept was created by the Canadian Institute of Forestry nationally.
“It was started by some loggers as well, and what they agreed to do was take the value of a load of logs and donate it to their local children’s hospital, so the structure has been out there for several years,” Sande said.
This was the second year for the event at the Forsite Consulting location in Prince Albert on South Industrial Drive but it has been held nationally for more than a decade, with brief interruptions due to COVID.
Sande said one of the woodlands managers in Meadow Lake began to reach out to forest industry and logging contractors and get them to donate.
“We’re able to pull together more funds than just what you can raise in a local barbecue,” he explained.
He said that this year’s donation total had already hit $10,0000.
Last year, the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital attended to more than 83,000 infants and children. The campaign supported those efforts for many years.
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Community Engagement Manager Jada Kook said they were grateful for the support from Log a Load and all the businesses who helped make it happen. Kook said that the donation each year ends up being close to $12,000.
“I’ve only been around since post-COVID and the fundraising is really ramped up because there was a lot of fundraising right through COVID,” Kook said. “Typically Log a Load for kids raises about $12,000 and up every single year and all for Jim Pattison Hospital Foundation.
“I work for the foundation and we try to attend as many fundraisers across the province as we can just to thank our partners and we appreciate people fundraising all across Saskatchewan. It’s important for us to come drop by and say, thank you,” Kook added.
Danielle Kennedy is 5-year-old Mateo Kennedy’s mother. The family is an ambassador family in Prince Albert for Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. Kennedy said that it took a while to get Mateo’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis.
“We fought with our family doctor at the time and a bunch of walk-ins and it wasn’t until we finally got to the hospital—and then we got rushed to the Jim Pattison Hospital—that they made him all better,” she explained.
“By the next day, 24 hours later, he was back to his super crazy self because before that he was lethargic, didn’t move, didn’t do anything for about a month.”
She said Mateo was very sick and was getting diagnoses that did not make sense. Originally, they were told it was asthma, then his allergies, then bronchitis or pneumonia. The diagnosis’ quickly changed when they arrived at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
“All it took was like a finger poke and a urine sample that a walk-in doctor did,” Kennedy said. “That’s how we knew that’s what they should be testing his blood. They told us it was his asthma, then it was allergies, and it was bronchitis and pneumonia. It was none of those things.”
The family has only recently begun attending fundraisers as an ambassador family. She said your first one was Miracle Treat Day.
She said that the hospital is a great experience and the endocrinology team is amazing.
Last year, the hospital received more than $12,000 from ‘Log a Load for Kids’.
Sande said that the forest industry views specialized hospital services as important.
“(It’s) a significant way to help support health services within our communities because the forest industry operates predominantly in the north,” he explained. “We don’t have access to the same specialized services that exist in Saskatoon.”
He said that in his own experience, the Saskatoon hospital is world class.
“The industry is more than happy to continue to support health care in the province, knowing that it’s going to be available to our families and our employees when they need it,” Sande said.
There was a sizable crowd despite the rainy afternoon for the barbecue.
“I think it’s important that we thank the public to come out and support the events and the forest industry and logging contractors. It’s a great opportunity to show our support and get some funding into the hospital to support their program,” Sande said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
