June 2-5 Shelton, WA
Take me home and plan your weekend!
"Back to Our Roots"
2022 MASON COUNTY
Forest Festival CARNIVAL • FUN RUN • PARADE • LOGGING SHOW • VENDORS • BANDS • FIREWORKS • CAR SHOW
Event Program 1
JALISCO
Paul Bunyan rides the parade on a Manke truck in the parade | photo: © Cooper Studios
We’re your neighbors. For four generations MANKE LUMBER COMPANY has been proud to call Mason County home. Our livings, families and futures are all connected. That’s why we are honored to annually sponsor the Mason County Forest Festival. Congratulations on 78 years of success! Relying on a wealth of experience from over 60 years of hands-on operation, Manke Lumber continues to explore new technologies and business practices protecting resources and providing maximum value to our customers. Our forestry divisions work together to ensure maximum recovery, sustainability and value yielded from our local forests. It is our pleasure to serve timberland owners, lumberyards, distributors as well as wholesalers both domestic and abroad.
mankelumber.com 2
photo:© Cooper Studios
Thankyou
sponsoRs
#TIMBERSTRONG ($5000+) JALISCO
TALL FIR ($2500+)
LUMBERJACK ($1500+)
ROYAL TEA ($1000+)
MEDIA SPONSOR
Yay! Hats off and a Huge round of applause! Thanks to the businesses
Journal SHELTON-MASON COUNTY
& individuals sponsoring Forest Festival. Please think
Denis & Adele Leverich
HOT SAW ($500+)
Edward Jones (Schade & Morgan) Melanie Bakala State Farm Bowers Dental Group The Optical Shop
them when you are doing
BEARD CONTEST ($200+). June 2nd Street Design Studio Gillis Auto
Peninsula Credit Union
business. We're happy to be back Celebrating Together!
Williams Architecture
FRIENDS OF THE FOREST 2nd Street Design Studio 40-et-8 Voiture 135 94.5 FM Roxy AAA Septic
Bakala State Farm Insurance Beko's Tree Service and Wood Carving
Black Star Graphics
Boy Scout Troop 9110 Bowers Dental Group
Bowman Financial Group
Centennial Guild: Mason General Hospital Foundation
City of Shelton
Green Diamond Resource Company
Manke Lumber Company
Shelton Lions Club
Central Mason Fire & EMS
Hood Canal Communications
Mason County Hist. Society
Shelton Rotary
Disabled Veterans
iFiberone News Radio:
D.A.R.T. Disaster Animal
Jalisco Tortilla Factory
Dominos Pizza
Karen Everett
Schade & Lori Morga
Olympia's Classic Rock 100.3 FM
KONP
Live 95.1 Kiti 3AM & 100.5 FM
Cooper Studios
Hanson Motors
Denis & Adele Leverich
Hood Canal Lions
Dr. Grimes Optometry
1030 AM & 103.3 FM
Rescue Team
John Nesset
Edward Jones: Karen
KAYO /KIX95.3
Gillis Auto
Kristmas Town Kiwanis
Manke Excavating
Mason County PUD 3
Mason General Hospital
Nisqually Red Wind Casino
Our Community Credit Union Peninsula Credit Union
Phyllis and Duane Guenther Memorial Scholarship Fund
Shelton High School NJROTC Booster Club & Cadets Shelton Kiwanis
Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton High School Design & Woodworking Classes
Sierra Pacific Foundation Skookum Rotary
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® The Optical Shop The Shopper
VFW Post 1964
Williams Architecture YMCA
Grow With Us Your Committed Community Partner bringing SUSTAINABLE JOBS to beautiful Mason County. spi-ind.com/careers • Millwrights • Electricians • Fabricator
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Sierra Pacific Industries 421 S. Front St. Shelton, WA 98584 (360) 427-8200 SPI-IND.COM
SFI-00027
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Welcome from the
Festival Board
photo:© Cooper Studios
forest festival 2022 board
President – Mick Sprouffske Vice President - Amy Cooper Secretary - Cheryl Earsley Treasurer - Judy Bidwell
ThanksVolunteers
Robin Redman, Anna Liljas, Stacie Stoney, Grace Renecker, Darrel Andrews, Linda
Mick Sprouffske MCFFA PRESIDENT
On behalf of the Mason County Forest Festival Board of Directors, Committee Members and Volunteers, welcome to The 78th Annual Mason County Forest Festival. The theme of this year's Forest Festival is "Back to Our Roots" celebrating the 78 years of this event. Mason County Forest Festival Association is a volunteer organization, incorporated in 1947 as a non-profit. I would like to thank all of ours sponsors and the business and organizations that advertised in this program. Without this financial support this event would not be possible. Please consider these sponsors, businesses and organizations when shopping and doing business in our community. Forest Festival was established to promote forest fire prevention and celebrate the rich logging history of Mason County. To set the stage, the first known saw mill in the area was built in 1853 on Mill Creek, just south of Shelton, by Michael T. Simmons.
Program designed and created by Rachel Hansen IMAGE IN ACTION DESIGN Shelton, WA | 360-427-5599
This was the beginning of the timber harvest in Mason County. That means when Forest Festival began, the area had been actively logged for more than 90 years. Several others would join in the timber harvest or logging, including the most significant local figure Sol G. Simpson. Sol Simpson incorporated Simpson Logging Co. in 1895. Whether started by lightning or human, fire is a natural part of the landscape. However, fire was and is something that loggers and forest managers despise for its loss of timber, equipment and, most of all, loss of life. By the early 1940s there had been so many forest fires that there was a national effort to prevent wildfire. In August 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign began. This is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history. Smokey's original slogan was "Smokey Says - Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires" in 1947, the slogan changed to "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires." Forest Festival was an auxiliary member of the local chapter of the Keep Washington Green Committee, a relationship that lasted for 50 years. For many years of Forest Festival, there were parade floats themed around forest fire prevention and logging history. Bringing this full circle, logging and forest fires are still part of our landscape. Today there are several logging companies, mills and major 5
Shrum, Kim McElliott, Kristine Bowman, Peggy Enriquez, Erica Marbet, Central Mason Fire & EMS, City of Shelton Public Works and Parks Depts., Amy Cooper, Rachel Hansen, Denis Leverich, PJ Nichols, David Dalzatto, Rachel Lovingfoss, Jamey Taylor, Steve Galka, Jessica Schreiber, and the Royalty Court families for decorating and driving our float to parades. If we missed anyone, please accept our deepest apologies.
active timberlands in Mason County. Here are the major operations: The Simpson - Reed family, as the owners of Green Diamond Resource Co.; Port Blakely; Manke Timber Co.; Hama Hama Logging; Sierra Pacific is operating its state of the art fir and hemlock mill in downtown Shelton; Alta Forest Products Cedar Mill; and Belco Forest Products. Unfortunately forest fire, referred to as wildfire today is still very much a part of our landscape. Just as it was in 1944 when the Smokey Bear campaign was created, most wildfire can be prevented. The Paul Bunyan Grand Parade will, without a doubt, be as spectacular as ever. There will be something for everyone at the parade, floats, dance teams, logging trucks, marching bands, classic cars, fire trucks and much more.
Continued next page!
Continued from page 5
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STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® is returning this year to Loop Field with the STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Professional Men's and Women's Western Qualifier. It is a huge honor for us to host this regional event. The competition is going to be fierce, we have several competitors that have competed nationally and internationally. Come to Loop Field for the Logging Show, root on your favorite competitor and visit the vendors while you are there. Forest Festival is not just the parade and the logging show, there are many other events to attend and participate in: The Goldsborough Creek Run/Walk/Jog, Firefighter's Pancake Breakfast, Rockin the Forest, The Shelton Car Show Off, The Wood Duck Race and the Spectacular Fireworks Show. As you read through this great program please take note of all of our major sponsors. If you get a chance please thank them for their continued support of Forest Festival. Also shop local and support the business's that have supported this year's Forest Festival by paying for advertisement in this program. I would like to thank my fellow Board Members, Committee Chairs and all of our volunteers, for all of the hard work that they do to make every Forest Festival the best. If it were not for the volunteers of the past we would not be celebrating the 78th Forest Festival. We always welcome new volunteers, if you are interested in joining us, please contact us through our website @ masoncountyforestfestival.com. Giving back to our community is very rewarding. Enjoy the 78th Mason County Forest Festival.
Amy Cooper
MCFFA VICE-PRESIDENT This is truly one of my favorite times of year in Shelton and Mason County. My husband Forrest and I have chosen to raise our family and run our business in Shelton, we simply love it here and love being involved in this community. We are creating our own traditions with our daughter Caroline, and Forest Festival is absolutely one of them! Every year when Forest Festival rolls around, there is excitement in the air, downtown gets prepped for this grand event, old photos and stories are shared. Forest Festival is so loved. To see our community, and those visiting, fill our city to experience this great event is exciting and so heartwarming. It’s a tradition for many, both for locals and visitors. Thank you to our community for standing by us as we dealt with cancellation in 2020 and pivoted to “Forest Festival Presents TIMBER DAYS” in 2021.We are so excited to be bringing the festival back in its full capacity for 2022!
Judy Bidwell
MCFFA TREASURER Have you ever noticed that everyone smiles when they talk about Festival memories? The MC Forest Festival is one of the longest running festivals in WA and each year brings new memories, the kind you smile about. When I moved here in the ‘90s, one of the delightful surprises was Forest Festival and the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade. How excited I was to live in a small town where they still have parades! This event unites the community – if you’re not in the parade, you’re watching it! From the parade and logging show to the fireworks and the car show – Forest Festival is filled with free family fun that is sure to generate a smile when you relate your event memories! I hope you and your family enjoy making your own wonderful memories during the Mason County Forest Festival!
Cheryl Earsley
MCFFA SECRETARY I have lived in Shelton most of my life and have fond memories of watching the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade with my family and friends. My husband and I have been involved with the logging show off and on over the years. When our daughter, Eryn, was honored to be part of the Royalty Court for two years, I enjoyed helping with the float and court during parades. It was rewarding and I wanted to continue to help, so I joined the Forest Festival Committee. I’m excited that we are able to bring Forest Festival back in full swing for a fun-filled weekend with the parade, logging show, carnival, fireworks and so much more.
Event updates: masoncountyforestfestival.com
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Mason Health celebrates our new
Health Care Scholarship Program! In partnership with Shelton High School’s Health Sciences Academy, Mason Health awarded 5 scholarships to Shelton High School students on Wednesday, May 11.
•
Two students will enter South Puget Sound Community College’s nursing program
•
Two students will enter Bates Technical College’s phlebotomy program
•
One student will enter Washington State’s 12-month apprenticeship program for medical assistants
Congratulations scholarship winners!
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www.MasonGeneral.com • 901 Mountain View Drive, Shelton, WA 98584 • (360) 426-1611, from Allyn (360) 275-8614, Toll free (855) 880-3201, TTY/TDD (360) 427-9593. Equal Opportunity Provider • Free Translation Services Provided/Se habla español • Mason Health does not discriminate on the basis of patient’s age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, culture, physical or mental disability, financial status or condition (including the terminally ill or dying), limited English, visual, hearing or learning impaired.
photo:© Cooper Studios
Meet the 2022
Forest Festival Royalty Court group, playing multiple sports, and lending out a helping hand at community events like the Community Expo. While being in the Forest Festival. I look forward to meeting new people, making connections and building relationships. I’m truly excited for the blessing and honor to represent Mason County!
Queen Gabriela
Hello! My name is Gabriela Lepe, and I am extremely honored to be this year’s Queen of the Forest. I am a Senior at Shelton High School and have spent the last two years as Cheer Captain. I plan to attend college in the fall, although my major is still undecided. I have lived in Shelton since the age of 5 and couldn’t imagine growing up elsewhere. My four siblings and I grew up playing ALL the sports, because someone was always willing to help transport us when my parents couldn’t be five places at one time. That lead to countless fond memories and friends that became family. I am grateful to have this opportunity as Queen to give back to a community that has given so much to me & my family.
Growing up here I always looked up to the Forest Festival royalty so I think the thing I'm most excited for is being able to inspire a new generation the way I was inspired at a young age.
Paul Bunyan
My name is Joshua Brennan and I have the privilege of being 2022’s Paul Bunyan for the Mason County Forest Festival! I am currently a senior at Shelton High School and also enrolled in Running Start at Olympic College. This Fall I will be pursuing a Business Major and a Christian Theology Minor at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I love tennis, people, and Jesus. I was born right here in Shelton at Mason General Hospital and I have grown up all my life in Mason County, in a home of 7 people. I’m the oldest of 5 kids, with the 2 most amazing parents I could ask for. I’ve been very involved in this community volunteering countless hours, involved in church and youth 9
Princess of Cedar
My name is Shawna Lacy. I'm a senior at Shelton High School. After graduation I'm planning to take classes at South Puget Sound Community College while working as a Para Pro for the Shelton School District. I've lived in Shelton my whole life with my Mom, Dad, and younger brother; and when I was a freshman my cousin moved in with us as well she's just like a sister to me.
Timber the Axe Man
I am Bradley Haskins Jr. I am a Senior at Shelton High School. I am a member of the National Honor Society. I am also part of many different school sports and activities. My favorite of which are football and leadership. Both have taught me how to plan events and be more comfortable being in front of large crowds. I am committed to Washington State University for the Fall of 2022 and will be majoring in Wildlife Biology.
The Making of an Award
Mason County Style
There is something special about the Forest Festival parade awards that you might not know. For the past few years, the awards have been fabricated, designed by students at Shelton High School (SHS). This year, Robin Redman, the Forest Festival Paul Bunyan Grand Parade chair, along with Ron and Michelle Bauer added a new design element to the awards to showcase the Forest Festival theme, Mason County, and its forestry heritage.
Contin'd from pg 9 Go Cougs! For me being on the Royalty Court is a great way to set an example of what a leader is for the younger generations to come. What I love about Forest Festival it is a fantastic way for me to do what I love most, which is giving back to my community. It gives me the opportunity to visit new places and meet new faces.
Michael Carlin is one of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers at SHS. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the construction trades. He oversees the production of the wood plaques for the awards. The wood for the awards was graciously donated by Simpson Door Company, located in McCleary, WA. The students, in Mr. Carlin’s class, used grit and hard work along with routers, sanders, and other tools to lay a precise foundation for the designs of these unique award plaques. The plaques then make their way to the AutoCAD class taught by Mr. Jake Fullington. For the past six years, Mr. Fullington has been a CTE teacher at SHS, specializing in Engineering and Robotics. His classes create the graphic design artwork in AutoCAD that is then laser engraved on each plaque. The awards are given out to the best of the best in the Forest Festival Parade in a variety of categories. These include school marching bands, car clubs, equestrian, community, and visiting festival floats. In addition to local entries, participants come from far and wide to show off their hometown pride.
These distinctive awards have their origins in the minds and hearts of humble Mason County residents but make their way to winners all across the Pacific Northwest. The Forest Festival Committee wants to express their gratitude to Simpson Door Company, the students and teachers at SHS and Ron & Michelle Bauer for their contributions in making these awards possible.
Festival Memory CHERYL EARSLEY
One of my fondest Mason County Forest Festival memories was in 1994, my husband and I helped with the logging show, then at the Mason County Fairgrounds. Paul Mackenzie, longtime logging show clown, would do gags, including how not to start a chainsaw, blast a tree in two with a shotgun, etc. and carve a tiny chair out of a log with a chainsaw. He would then pick a child from the crowd and give them the chair. That year, our daughter, Morgan, was chosen. We still have that tiny chair and think of Paul, who passed away in 2017. 10
Princess of Hemlock
I am Nevaeh Haskins, a current Junior at Shelton High School. I am a very active member in my school and part of the National Honor Society. I am a four year Varsity Cheerleader. I am also a State Champion Powerlifter. I plan on attending Washington State University after I graduate next school year and majoring in Anthropology. Being part of the Royalty Court has been a dream come true. I never thought it was possible to become a princess, which has been a childhood dream of mine. Watching the float with the Royalty Court growing up I always wished I would have the opportunity to become one of the lucky ones. Now I get that chance to set the same dreams for future girls to come. Forest Festival is such a great experience, from the parade to the logger contest to the awesome firework show. There is so much community pride in this event, which is what I love the most. I am so honored I get to go around Washington and represent this amazing County of ours.
Kathleen Blanchette
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Sierra Pacific Industries
HONORING MASON COUNTY'S TIMBER ROOTS
The crew at Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) is thrilled to sponsor the 78th annual Mason County Forest Festival. This year’s theme “Back to our Roots” is a wonderful way to celebrate the county’s proud legacy in the forest products industry. The future is also bright for the local industry. The Shelton division employs over 300 crewmembers, producing framing, or “stud” lumber. These advanced-manufacturing jobs offer family-wage level salaries, excellent benefits and almost unlimited promotion potential. The modern forest products industry offers the ultimate in green jobs. SPI is certified to produce and manufacture wood products on a sustainable basis by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). This certification requires that SPI ensure that not only our own processes are sustainable, but that we verify that all the wood purchased from others is also sustainably harvested. Washington has some of the strongest environmental regulations in the world and the majority of log suppliers, including the Washington state lands, are also third-party certified. Together, the managed working forests and wood products deliver substantial carbon benefits. In its Sixth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that the use of wood
products contributes to carbon mitigation in two distinctly different ways: carbon storage in wood products and material substitution. That’s because when the trees from sustainably harvested forests are used to manufacture lumber and other building products, the carbon remains stored throughout the wood product’s lifespan. Wood that is substituted for other building materials that are not renewable, or require more energy to produce, helps communities achieve sustainability goals. These products are also part of the solution in the housing shortage. The average home in the United States requires 14,650 board feet of lumber (Source: FEA). Using that calculation, the Shelton Sawmill produced enough lumber for 31,056 homes last year, all while storing carbon for decades, maybe even a century! As we look “Back to our Roots” and honor the industry that helped build Mason County, it is exciting that we can also look to a future with an industry provides forest products and environmental solutions at the same time!
Event updates: masoncountyforestfestival.com
Schedule MAY 22 | 3 PM
2nd Annual Royal Tea COLONIAL HOUSE 222 W PINE ST
JUNE 2-5
Festival Carnival 305 S 1ST ST
JUNE 4 | 7 - 10 AM
Firefighters Pancake Breakfast 122 W FRANKLIN ST
JUNE 4 | 10:30 AM
Family & Pet Parade RAILROAD AVE.
JUNE 4 | 11 AM
Paul Bunyan Grand Parade RAILROAD AVE.
JUNE 4 | 12 PM
Stihl® Western Qualifier & Vendors & Chainsaw Carvers LOOP FIELD
JUNE 4 | 5-9 PM
Rockin The Forest 2948 OLYMPIC HWY N.
JUNE 4 | 10 PM
Spectacular Fireworks 3301 N SHELTON SPRINGS RD.
JUNE 5 | 10 AM - 3 PM
Shelton Car Show Off OLYMPIC HWY N.
JUNE 5 | 2 PM
360-426-8822
Wood Duck Race
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GOLDSBOROUGH CREEK
June 5 32nd Annual Shelton
Car Showoff OLYMPIC HIGHWAY N.
photo:© Cooper Studios
It all started in 1990 when a car show was added to the line-up of events during the weekend of the Mason County Forest Festival. Since 2010, the Shelton High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. (NJROTC) Booster Club has hosted this event on the Sunday of the Mason County Forest Festival weekend. This year they have partnered with the Shelton Rotary to plan and run the event. Months of planning go into this event and on the day of the show it takes eight city blocks of space and about 50 volunteers to operate! In 2015, the 25th anniversary of the show, 423 cars registered for the show from all over Washington and some from Oregon and Idaho. The Shelton Car Showoff continues to be a success because of all the support from the car owners, the local businesses that help sponsor the event costs and the dedication of the cadets and volunteers that participate every year.
Proceeds this year will continue to help support the NJROTC cadets’ leadership program and activities. The Booster Club is able to help send cadets to leadership academy and competitions with funds they raise from the car show. Additionally, proceeds will also support the Shelton Rotary community services and the Mason County Forest Festival. Thank you to our gold sponsors: The Shopper, Kamilche Dental, South Sound Appliances, and Shelton Tabs and Titles.
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Thanks to our silver sponsors: Our Community Credit Union, Ascend Roofing, and First Choice Automotive. Thanks to our bronze sponsors: Denny's Auto Service and Hood Canal Communications. The event is Sunday, June 5th from 10 AM – 3 PM and is free to spectators. Car registration is 8 AM – 11 AM on “F” Street. The car registration fee is $20 per car. There will be food vendors on site, a silent auction or regular raffle, and a 50/50 raffle.
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June 4 Paul Bunyan
grand Parade photo:© Cooper Studios photo:© Cooper Studios
RAILROAD/ FRANKLIN SHELTON | 11 AM
Forest Festival is so excited to be back, and the parade is one of events we really missed during COVID! Be prepared to be wowed by the marching bands, beautiful floats and many classic trucks and cars that will appeal to automobile enthusiasts. Don’t forget to wave at Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox as they pass! The 2022 Forest Festival Court will be on display in all their regalia. The beautiful float that they appear on is the result of many hours of hard work done by the royalty and their families The court also visits numerous other festivals throughout the year on their float. Honoring past Forest Festival royalty is a long-standing tradition, look for them to appear in this year's parade. Also keep an eye out for visiting royalty from other festivals and their creative presentations. Commercial entries in the parade are a great way for organizations to show community support. Local businesses in various industries like shellfish, forestry, insurance, emergency services, utilities, and more make up a large portion of the pageantry of parade day. Non-profit groups and organizations are always highlights of the parade. From honoring our veterans to guiding our youths the organizations promote our community every day.
Look for entries from the Boy and Girl Scouts, Shriners, American Legion, 4-H, and various equestrian group — just to name a few. Parade participants even compete for various awards in several categories. The unique award plaques have been designed and produced by local high school students (see article page 10). Some of the categories include Grand Sweepstakes, Grand Marshall, Motorized Vehicles, Spirit, Creativity, Novelty, Equestrian, Bands, and Dance/ Drill. The Forest Festival Parade committee encourages organizations to get creative and be part of the annual Forest Festival Paul Bunyan Grand Parade. Come out and enjoy the parade as a spectator – it wouldn’t be a parade without the community! 17
Grand Marshal
Darrel Andrews We would like to introduce our longest running Parade Grand Marshal – Darrel Andrews. Darrel was selected in 2020 and we are finally able to honor him in this year’s parade! Darrel is a lifelong Mason County resident. He has been married to his wife Linda for 56 years and has four children, eight grand children and four great grandchildren. Growing up here in Shelton, he has seen this community grow and change. He was a successful business owner here in Shelton for over 30 years before retiring a few years ago. Darrel’s involvement in Forest Festival began as student in the 1950’s, when participating in the pageant at Loop Field and he has since served on the Festival Board in many capacities, including President, keeping the festival something great for all to be proud of and enjoy.
Goldsborough Creek FUN RUN/WALK
The Centennial Guild, a chapter of Mason General Hospital Foundation, is pleased and honored to bring this run/walk event to our community. Proceeds from this event support Mason County Forest Festival, a scholarship, and equipment fund for the local hospital in memory of Kristi Armstrong, a community member, nurse, and Guild member. The run started as a gathering for friends to run around Loop Field and downtown before the parade and then grew to the more organized event we know today. The event is for walkers or runners of all ability levels.
ister. The junior jog begins at 9:30 AM on Railroad Avenue. An awards ceremony is held at the registration area at 9:45 AM, giving medals to a variety of age categories and prizes donated from local businesses.
The race begins June 4 at 6 AM. Follow signage to check-in on Railroad Ave. Participants are bussed from check-in to the start line. The 7 mile walk starts at 7 AM so that walkers complete the course by roughly 9:30 AM. The main events, the 7 mile run and 2 mile run/walk begin at 8 AM. The run events and 2 mile walk will be using electronic timing so please pre-reg-
Centennial Guild, a chapter of Mason General Hospital Foundation, has been managing the event for the Forest Festival Association since 2009. It is a major fund raiser for the Guild. Register before June 1 at runsignup.com or download form at masoncountyforestfestival.com. Early bird registration is before May 12.
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Thank you Green Diamond
SETTING THE STANDARD IN WORKING FORESTS SINCE 1890
Green Diamond, a private family-owned forest products company, traces its roots to 1890 when Sol Simpson founded Simpson Logging Company in Mason County. Fast forward to today, the company owns and manages over 2.2 million acres of working forestland across the US West and South.
Festival Memory ERICA ADAMS
Owner, Jalisco Tortilla Factory
"Here is a picture of us with my dad at the last Forest Festival parade. Going to the parade is something we did every year together ever since we were little girls. My dad would always work on Saturdays at the factory and would temporarily close it down so we could go and enjoy the parade together. Now it's a family tradition we'll continue to honor with our own children." Jalisco Tortilla Factory is a #TimberStrong Level Sponsor of the 2022 Mason County Forest Festival. Thank you for your support!
All company land is independently audited and certified for sustainable forest management. This ensures that forest products you buy, whether that is paper products, lumber, and more, come from sustainably managed forests. In the state of Washington, it is required that post-harvest land is replanted with trees within three years. Planting is conducted when seedlings are dormant during the toughest weather seasons. This is typically done by hand and some tree planters can put upwards of 1,000 trees in the ground each day! Here in Washington, the company also operates under a federal Habitat Conservation Plan, which requires protection for fish, wildlife, clean water, and soils. Green Diamond offers opportunities for recreation on its private working forests. Their Recreation Access Permit Program features exclusive access to over 110,00 acres of forestland in Western Washington for hunting, fishing, hiking, and more. Along with the permit area program, Green Diamond allows free public access to some of its working forestland in the state. Permit holders are also able to purchase a pass to the company’s Mason Lake Recreation Area, which is a private campground on Mason Lake in Mason County. In short, Green Diamond celebrates Forest Festival every day!
photo:© Cooper19Studios
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City of Shelton 525 West Cota Street Shelton, WA 98584 P: 360-426-4491 20
JUNE 2
June 4 FREE Stihl Timbersports® 1 PM | LOOP FIELD SHELTON |
Logging show
photo:© Cooper Studios
LOOP FIELD | 12:00 PM (VENDORS 'TIL 5)
Enjoy the Timber Competition tradition & Chainsaw Carvers! Mason County Forest Festival is excited to be hosting the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Professional Western Qualifier. As always the competition is going to be first class and weare excited to be welcoming chainsaw carving demonstrations! For the Men's division there will be seven of the top TIMBERSPORTS® male athletes in the Western Region competing for a chance to move on to the U. S. Professional Men's Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Competing for the top for spots to move on to Little Rock, are Nate Hodges, Walt Page, Jeff Skirvin, Mike Forrester, David "Junior" Moses, David Green and Cody LaBahn. In the Women's division there will be four top TIMBERSPORTS® female athletes in the Western Region competing for a chance to move onto the U. S. Professional Women's Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Competing for the top for spots to move on to Little Rock, are Erin LaVoie, Kate Page, Haley Smith and Jessica Karraker. The events for the qualifying portion of this show are the Standing Block Chop, Underhand Chop, SingleBuck, Spring Board Chop, Stock Saw, and Hotsaw.
Come down to Loop Field after the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade and visit the vendors when you enjoy the show. Loop Field has been the site of most of the Forest Festival Logging Shows since 1945. In fact Loop Field is one of the places where logging competition first got started in the USA. It truly is a grand setting with the lush green grass and the back drop of the majestic fir trees.
For the Rookie's division there are two contenders, Cole Schlenker and Maxwell Llyod. 21
New this year are carving demonstrations from NW Professional Chainsaw Carvers. Attending are Anthony Robinson, Hayden Wright, Thor Thorstentein, and Ian Rakestraw. They will have items for sale at the event. The Festival is grateful to the City of Shelton, in particular Parks and Recreation, for going the extra mile to maintainLoop Field and to the City Public Works staff for all of their help.
The Coopers
“CAPTURE” FOREST FESTIVAL EACH YEAR Amy & Forrest Cooper are portrait artists. They capture memories for their clients and produce top-of-the-line artwork to adorn a home. A husband and wife creative team, they own and operate Cooper Studios in Shelton. Both holding BFA degrees in Visual Communications, their “focus” is on perfection and quality. Along with extensive experience they have a whole lot of talent! Handmade in Shelton, the duo’s Fine Art Portraits are captured, retouched, printed and custom framed in their downtown studio giving them the control to create the high quality. Consider Cooper Studios for company headshots and commercial projects to take your business to the next level.
we ❤ mason county! 22
Forrest and Amy are ardent supports of community events like the Forest Festival and bring a level of professionalism to the event images. Cooper Studios is only the 4th photographer ever to create the official Queen of the Forest Portrait. It’s a tradition the Cooper’s are proud to be a part of and look forward to continuing for many years to come. Thank you, Amy and Forrest for preserving our Forest Festival memories each year!
June 4 @ 10:30 am Family & Pet
Parade
photo:© Cooper Studios
photos:© Cooper Studios
DART (Disaster Animal Rescue Team) invites people of all ages, families, groups and pets before the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade to have some good old fashioned fun in the Family and Pet Parade. Dress up with your pets, decorate your bike, wear a costume, have a forest theme or something totally different! Ribbons awarded for best entries in the following categories: Group or Family; Dress-up with Pet; Forestry Theme; Costumes/Fairy Tales; Float or Decorated Wagon; and Decorated Bike. DART of Mason County, is a group of volunteers trained to assist with rescuing, sheltering and protecting pets, livestock and other animals during disasters such as floods, fires, storms, hazardous material spills, or other catastrophic situations. DART conducts training programs, drills and meetings to develop skills so the team can provide effective assistance to animals and owners in difficult situations. Everyone is welcome to participate in the Family Parade and it is a lot of fun for the whole family! Entry forms available at masoncountyforestfestival.com.
Creativity!
Creativity and fun are encouraged at the Family & Pet Parade. In 2019 Illana Dickison and her family looked BEE-utiful using a hive of imagination! Many parade participants dress their dogs, cats, goats and even bunnies for the Family and Pet Parade – get creative there are prizes! The Forest Festival theme (see cover image of Paul Bunyan Look-alikes) is always appropriate at Forest Festival! 23
June 4 @ 10 pm Manke Fireworks
display
A Spectacular Event!
MANKE FIREWORKS SHOW LIGHTS UP THE SKY! In the 1940’s Elmer Manke began a family’s legacy as a timber family in the Pacific Northwest. Today Shelton is more than timber, but its forestry ties are evidenced by this annual Festival, “High Climbers,” and a waterfront dominated by the wood industry. Manke Lumber Company is a family owned business with ties to virtually every aspect of the timber industry. With deep roots in Mason County, Manke is dedicated to exploring new technologies to protect resources and provide quality products. Forest Festival is an important way in which Manke Lumber celebrates the community’s logging heritage. For many years, Manke has been the sponsor of the spectacular fireworks show Saturday evening of the Forest Festival event.
They have put on displays at the Space Needle and Opening Day for the Mariners. The promoter says this show will be one that will be talked about for quite some time. Being their first time to put on a display for Forest Festival, they are excited and proud to be part of this great annual celebration. The community and the Forest Festival Association and volunteers thank the Manke family for supporting this exciting display to celebrate Forest Festival 2022!
The fireworks start at sunset, June 4. Arrive early as parking fills while families settle in to surround the viewing areas near Shelton’s Oakland Bay Junior High off Kneeland Boulevard. Preferred spots include the Fred Meyer and Walmart parking lots. Forest Festival welcome Pyro Spectaculars one of the largest fireworks display companies in the U.S. to present the show. Located in McClellan, CA, their NW branch is in Spokane.
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Photo by Cpl. Clayton Filipowicz. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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carnival
Cotton candy, sticky candy apples, churros, giant stuffed animals in brilliant colors, and rides that make your head spin are all a popular part of the Mason County Forest Festival and we are so glad they are back! The Mason County Forest Festival carnival will open on Thursday, June 2 at 5 PM. This year the event will be located downtown on 1st and Grove Streets in the vacant lot at the former Mell Chevrolet location. Thank you to the Mell Family for your support of Forest Festival! Kids of all ages will be thrilled to see the much anticipated return of the rides and “fair” food as well as plenty of games with a variety of prizes.
photo:© Cooper Studios
June 2-5 Forest Festival
The Carnival will be open until 10 PM Thursday. Hours Friday and Saturday are from 12 noon to 11 PM. Sunday 12- 6 PM, but as always, hours are dependent upon attendance and weather. Pre-sale bands cost $35.Visit the Forest Festival website for details and pick up locations.
Event updates: masoncountyforestfestival.com Opening May for the 2022 Season! Reserve Online today!
Pedal the Rails with your family and friends.
For reservations visit: www.vcrailriders.com 26
Festival Memory DICK LINN (1954)
I remember mom and dad herding all of us kids, there were four of us, five counting my mom's cousin, into our '54 Ford to head down town for the logging parade and logging show. After the parade, dad would give each of us kids a dollar for the carnival it was at the end of town on Railroad at that time. Oh did I mention a dollar was a kings ransom to a 5 year old in 1954?"
27
Festival Memories
"What Forest Festival means to me & why I stay involved year after year." Mick, MCFFA Pres.
MICK SPROUFFSKE Wow how the time has gone by, this will be the 18th Forest Festival in a row that I have been involved in. It will be the 19th counting the year that I was Paul Bunyan in 1984. I have many great memories of attending the annual Paul Bunyan Grand Parade and festivities. In 1984 we were celebrating the 40th Mason County Forest Festival. At that time the Mason County Forest Festival Association was made up of just a few people. Darrell Andrews and Bill Valley were running the show, Darrel was President and Bill the Vice President. Our court spent a lot of time with Bill and his wife Barb along with Darrel going to Forest Festival functions and parades around Washington. Barb was the Royalty Chaperone and the kindest person. Bill was also the parade float designer and was was well known on the parade circuit for his award winning float designs. Being selected for the Forest Festival court was truly a great experience. It took us out of our comfort zones. We spoke at civic meetings around town and were center stage in eiught parades.
Forest Festival was in the Keep Washington Green Association. We attended their annual spring banquet at the Tyee in Tumwater where our Forest Festival Queen, Katrina Eichinger was crowned Miss Keep Washington Green. The guest speaker that evening was a retiree from the US Forest Service speaking about 40 Years of Smokey Bear! Twenty years later, in the fall of 2004, I attended my first Forest Festival meeting and the following spring helped organize the 60th Mason County Forest Festival. It was great to be involved incommunity where I spent part of my life growing up, and see all of the smiles on the faces of the young and the old. Eighteen years later that is why I am still involved. 28
(Above) Junior volunteer, Caroline Cooper and Smokey the Bear prizes! (Top) Mick Sprouffske works with volunteers at 2019 festival (Below) 1984 Festival Program
A family-owned and operated business that takes pride in our heritage and our community. The owners have spent more than 30 years in the community contributing their time and energy as business owners and as loyal citizens of the community.
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Central Mason 5 Firefighters PANCAKE BREAKFAST | JUNE 4, 7-10 AM STATION #58, 122 W FRANKLIN ST, SHELTON
Support Central Mason #5 by enjoying the full breakfast served by the firefighters at Station #58 in downtown Shelton (across from Dairy Queen). The event is before the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade and an important fundraiser and an annual community event for the Station. Breakfast is by donation and includes pancakes, french toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee.
Event updates: masoncountyforestfestival.com
Forest Festival Memories RETIREMENT PLANNING | MEDICARE PLANNING SOCIAL SECURITY MAXIMATION & LONG TERM CARE PLANNING
Bowman Finncial Group is proud to support the 78th annual Mason County Forest Festival.
CHANDLER FELT (1953)
My family moved to Shelton in 1951 when I was four, so Forest Festival was among my earliest (and fondest) memories. I especially loved the pageant on Friday night at Loop Field, sitting there freezing in the bleachers. It portrayed the history of logging and forest products in grand, over-the-top style, all set to the music of Verdi's opera "Aida." At my young age, it was authoritative and awe-inspiring history, and the dramatic music seemed to fit it perfectly! I still associate "Aida" with Shelton. Of course I thoroughly enjoyed the Carni-
. val rides, the Logging Show (Hap Johnson!)
and the Parade too. But the Pageant was special, partly because it was long gone by the time I took my own kids to enjoy Forest Festival in the 1980s. Thanks for letting me reminisce. - Chandler Felt, Seattle
MIKE SHEETZ (1966)
About 1966, 6th grade or so, I led a donkey(jackass) thru the parade with signs hanging off that said "KMAS 1280", the joke was "Kiss My As-", according to my dad, Bob Sheetz.
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JEANIE DUCHESNE (1964)
The Latin club built a Trojan horse in the Latin room at the high school and it was so big we almost couldn’t get it out the door the Latin club pulled it through the parade. They were all wearing togas with laurel wreaths in their hair.
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Celebrating our
DEEP ROOTS
TIMBER HERITAGE IN MASON COUNTY
Stella Wenstob| historical contributor From Alaska to Northern California, logging towns are an iconic part of the Pacific Northwest. Mill towns, log sorts and boom towns all have their roots in this historical legacy. With Mason County’s Forest Festival fast approaching it is a good time to reflect on Shelton’s distinctive forestry heritage. In 1853, the mighty growth of Douglas Firs, Sitka Spruce and Western Red Cedar attracted the first industry to Mason County as M.T. Simmons, Wesley B. Gisnel and Orrington Cushman built the first water driven mill on what would become known as Mill Creek. This little enterprise was washed away with flood waters in the first year, but in true pioneer spirit it was rebuilt again. Many more water driven mills were built on Hammersley and Oakland Bay. Oakland, Arcadia and Union were busy logging communities by the 1860s. In the mid-1880s, the Satsop Railroad was laid to transport logs out of the forests as the easy to reach shoreline timber was dwindling. The railroad terminus was David Shelton’s claim at the head of Oakland Bay – now known as Shelton. Other logging railroads followed as logging continued to boom. Stewart Holbrock’s Green Commonwealth (1945) recounts the enthusiastic Fourth of July celebrations held in 1887 which included fireworks, a Grand Ball, a shooting match, a greased pole, and possibly the earliest log rolling contest in the state.
Shelton has a continuous history of logger sports of at least one-hundred-and-thirtyfour years! 1887 was also the year that Sol G. Simpson began building and managing the Puget Sound & Grays Harbor Railroad out of Old Kamilche. It was here that Simpson introduced horse teams to transport the felled logs to the railroad lines. Previously on the west coast, oxen teams were used to do the heavy hauling. Simpson also introduced the steam driven donkey engine for yarding to Puget Sound. By the late 1890s, Simpson joined forces with lumberman A. H. Anderson (also known as the Tall Fir of Mason County) in consolidating the railroads and logging interests in Mason County. Shelton's Paul Bunyan In stature and appetite, Anderson has been characterized as a real-life Paul Bunyan. Purportedly, his great height prompted the Shelton Hotel to install an oversize tub and bed for the distinguished guest. Like the Paul Bunyan story of eating exceptionally substantial breakfasts, a fellow logger 33
recalled that for breakfast “Anderson liked a fairly thick beef steak about one foot long, a quart of coffee, and, if he wasn’t really hungry, ten eggs” (Ed Hillier, as quoted in Green Commonwealth 1945:64). Simpson and Anderson were long seeing capitalists. Unlike other companies of Puget Sound who would sell off their logged lands or let them go into tax arrears, Simpson and Anderson held onto their denuded tenures. They understood the importance of land and the possibility of future logging opportunities. Today, Simpson’s descendants, the Reeds own land across California, Oregon, and Washington – making them the fifth-largest private landowners in the U.S. Strangely, it wasn’t until the 1920s that Shelton entered the manufacturing side of forestry. Previously, Shelton’s timber had been shipped out to be milled at other locales, such as McCleary, Seattle, Tacoma, and Ports Blakely, or Gamble. Simpson’s son-in-law, Mark Reed led the Simpson Logging Company in this new manufacturing age after Sol Simpson’s retirement.
In 1924, the Simpson’s Logging Company began construction of a power plant and the Reed Mill Company in Shelton. The Reed Mill focused on milling Western Hemlock and supplying material for the fledgling Rainier Pulp & Paper Company (founded in 1926). Pulp & paper products Although logging was primarily about “getting the wood,” pulp and paper products emerged as important industries to Mason County. Further advances in research in 1931 by the scientist of Rainier and DuPont discovered methods of taking the cellulose from Western Hemlocks and converting it into a fiber which could be formed into a wood-based plastic known as cellophane and could be spun into the revolutionary new fabric Rayon. Although the acids used in the early process were environmentally damaging and a major safety concern for workers, this technology was revolutionary. As silk and cotton became scarce during the war, Rayon was important for parachutes, clothing, and bandages.
Rainier called this pulp material “Rayonier,” combining Rayon and Mount Rainier (visible from their plant in Shelton), soon after this they renamed their business Rayonier. Nitrocellulose (or guncotton) used for explosives, propellants, and rockets was also developed by Rayonier from wood cellulose and was instrumental to the war effort. In 1943 alone they produced over 100,000 tonnes.
Keep Washington Green However, these crops faced an ancient threat. Throughout the Pacific Northwest, this timber history has been dogged by the flickering presence of forest fires. The fires of 1847 and 1902 were devastating years. The 1902 fires destroyed logging camps, sawmills, railcars, and many homes in Mason County.
Their efforts to supply the allied nations with this material earned them a 48-star flag from the federal government. Rebranding began in the 1940s which saw reforested timber leases as “crops,”,to be harvested by future generations. Now pulp and cellulose products were processed into a huge companion industry.
The rest of Western Washington and Oregon did not fare so well in 1902 – with many lives lost. Fire was not only a threat to homes, but it was also a threat to livelihoods as they ravaged stands of trees. In response to the devastating Tillamook fires of the 1930s, Washington Governor Clarence D. Martin campaigned for citizen participation in stopping forest fires before they start.
Logging was no longer a one-shot extractive process and trees used for pulp and cellulose products did not have to be tightgrained old growth lumber.
Governor Martin, the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, and others developed the Keep Washington Green Association in 1940 – a model for fire prevention that was later adopted by other states.
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Congratulation Mason County Forest Festival on 78 Years!
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Youth groups were an extremely popular part of this association. The Junior Forest Wardens run by the American Legion educated about fire prevention and reforestation techniques through tree planting. During the late 1940s, forest fire prevention became important for another reason. As the war effort relied upon wood prod-
ucts for a variety of purpose, the possibility of an enemy started forest fire could have paramount effect. The US Forest Service teamed up with the Ad Council to educate the public about forest fires and August 9, 1944, the first Smokey the Bear ad was run. The tagline “Only you can prevent forest fires” wasn’t developed for a few more years, but Smokey was an instant and lasting success. An era of change The first Forest Festival was held in May of 1945. As the forestry industry branched off into rebranding cut blocks into crops and board feet in terms of cellulose products, a celebration of timber and the future of the second growth was held, Mason County Forest Festival. Mason County Forest Festival Forest Festival promoted fire protection and regeneration of the forests. In October of 1946, the Forest Festival was formally incorporated as a non-profit with the specific focus of: “the development of a public consciousness of the need for forest fire prevention and an appreciation of the
1944: Smokey's first appearance on a Forest Fire Prevention campaign poster (smokeybear.com)
35
growing forests of Washington.” The original sponsors included Simpson, the Shelton Chamber of Commerce, the US Forest Service, and Rayonier. In many ways these projections have not come true as the timber industry has lost its economic relevance to the majority of Mason County citizens. The forest is now an important resource for tourism and recreation. The legacy of the lumbering past however, is still felt when you notice the street signs in downtown Shelton: Pine, Alder, Cedar, Grove, Poplar, Oak, Hazel, Walnut, Hemlock and West Birch Street to name a few. Or when you pass Tollie on Railroad with her car piled high with logs. Stop in at the Post Office and view the original 1940 New Deal mural of a oxen team hauling logs on a “Skid Row” by Richard Haines. When you and your family attend the living event that is the Forest Festival, reflect on the legacy. Cheer on Paul Bunyan and Babe and salute the Court as they pass by in the parade. Forestry is an ever-present part of Shelton and Mason County and its history is worth remembering and celebrating.
Rockin the Forest
ALL AGES LIVE MUSIC EVENT
Stick around after the Logging Show and before the fireworks show for the Rockin The Forest music event, June 4, 5-9 PM, hosted by the Martha Reed Foundation, and featuring local musical favorites Vance Creek and Hurts Like Hell. This year event is moving "uptown" to the Our Community Credit Union parking lot on Olympic Highway N making it a convenient "before the fireworks" location to celebrate Forest Festival! Along with live music, this free family-friendly event will host food trucks (Radio Fryer and Snacksidents), and beer garden all proudly sponsored by the Martha Reed Foundation. Current ID is required to enter the beer garden. Vance Creek is a local rock band consisting of: Chelsey Campbell, Levi Campbell, Cole Roswe & Eric Boudreau.
They have been preforming at events throughout Mason County and locally at the Cantina in Shelton. Hurts Like Hell is an all-original blues rock and roll band also based locally. The band has opened for the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, The Outlaws, .38 Special and The Little River Band. Listen to Hurts Like Hell's latest album, 'Leadfoot' on all major outlets. For more info visit masoncountyforestfestival.com or follow the Rockin The Forest Event on Facebook. The event is sponsored by Bradly Air, OCCU, Bobs Tavern and Freedom Highway Studios.
2019 Rockin the Forest, photos Cooper Studios
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The Paul Bunyan Beard Contest is Back We are looking for magnificent facial hair, and bonus points if you are clad in your best “Paul Bunyan” garb! We are calling it the 2nd Annual Beard Contest, but this event has truly had several iterations throughout the 78 years of Forest Festival. In 1978, Sheltonville Properties ran this event for the festival, there was also a contest in 1984 as well as 2010, when the Shelton Lions Club took on this Forest Fest event. Our festival volunteers are looking forward to seeing this event year after year going forward! Who doesn’t love a fabulous beard?! AND, in addition to the three “real” beard categories, we are introducing a DIY category this year. Think homemade, think “forestry” ingredients like moss, bark, twigs and the like. We want to see it all. Not only will this category be fun to see, but it opens up this event to EVERYONE. Women, Kids, families, (baby faced men who can’t grow facial hair to save their lives), literally anyone can enter the DIY category and we cannot wait to see what this opportunity brings. This fun event supports the festival both in spirit and in funds. A simple $25 entry fee gets you into the contest which could result in bragging rights for the entire year!
Winners will be awarded in each of the three categories: PAUL BUNYAN LOOK-A-LIKE: Full beard AND uncanny resemblance to Paul Bunyan (both in beard and overall appearance). $100 PRIZE! FULL BEARD: As grown, mustache integrated. Length is important but isn’t everything. Mass, density, shape, color, and overall impression all count. Styling aids are allowed. $75 PRIZE PARTIAL BEARD: Goatees, chinstraps and/or sideburns $75 PRIZE DIY BEARD: Get as creative as you like! Use natural “forestry” materials, or whatever strikes your fancy. Looking for creativity in this category. $75 PRIZE
But hurry, the contest is only open to submissions until midnight, May 14, 2022. Winners will be determined by a panel of judges using a scoring system based on 1) the visual of the beard, 2) the attitude shown in the photograph, 3) the story behind the beard. The winner will be contacted by email and announced on the Forest Festival website and social media as well as during the Logging Show on June 4, 2022. Thank you to 2nd Street Design Studio, Gillis Auto, Peninsula Credit Union and Williams Architecture for sponsoring the Beard Contest.
Antiques & Collectibles Thank you for eight wonderful years in downtown Shelton! We value our customers as family and look forward to seeing you again.
Entry fee covers one category. Additional categories can be added (for the same entrant) at $10 each. Entry includes a professional photograph at Cooper Studios for the contest! You’ve gone to all this work, let’s get that beautiful beard immortalized! So enter now so we can get those beautiful photos taken. Go to masoncountyforestfestival.com and we will schedule you for the studio pic.
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2022 1stPlace Design Winner
Emilene McFarland 5th Grade
Olympic Middle School
Button Design Contest Cheryl Earsley, Coordinator
Grades 6-8
Each year, Mason County students (all grades) are given the opportunity to design the Mason County Forest Festival button. The theme and a template are provided to the students. Through an extensive process, the Forest Festival Committee votes on the entries. The group narrows it down to the top three per grade category (K-5, 6-8, 9-12), then down to the top three based on the design that most represents the theme. The winners are invited to coronation where they are presented with an award and cash prize. The top three students from each category receives a cash prize, the grand prize winner receives a cash prize and their design is on the Forest Festival button that can be purchased from businesses throughout Mason County and during the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade. This year, we had an overwhelming response from students, 872 entries from 15 schools. Thank you to all those who participated and congratulations to all the winners.
2022 Awards: Grand Prize Winner Emilene McFarland Olympic Middle School, Grade 5
Grades K-5
1st Place: Emilene McFarland Olympic Middle School, Grade 5 2nd Place: Caroline Cooper Bordeaux Elementary, Grade 4 3rd Place: Alyssa Swanson Pioneer Elementary, Grade 4 Honorable Mention First, Micah Dekker Grapeview Elementary Grade 4 Second, Braxton Marshall Southside School, Grade 4 Third: Valeria Cruz Olympic Middle School, Grade 5 40
1st Place: Esmeralda Calmo Pablo Olympic Middle School, Grade 6 2nd Place: Cadence Allaway Hawkins Middle School, Grade 8 3rd Place: Xiomara Sanchez-Barajas Pioneer Middle School, Grade 8 Honorable Mention First, Samantha Castro Olympic Middle School, Grade 6 Second, Trinity Schutt Southside School, Grade 7 Third, Jacob Summers Pioneer Middle School, Grade 6
Grades 9-12
1st Place: Faith Scherr Cedar High School, Grade 11 2nd Place: Alexis Jay Mason Co. Christian School, Grade 9 3rd Place: Tillie Maier Shelton High School,Grade 9 Honorable Mention First, Sammie Markham Choice High School, Grade 10 Second, Kayden Palmateer Cedar High School, Grade 11
360.898.2481 | www.hcc.net Thank you for supporting our local tradition.
Enjoy the Mason County 2022 Forest Festival!
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Pick up your 2022 Forest Festival pins at these wonderful locations: A&B Nail Spa Blondie's Bobland Cameo Boutique - Union Cooper Studios Hood Canal Communications Shelton Hood Canal Communications Union ISH PNW Mottet fine jewelry Nita's Cafe Our Favorite Things Railroad Tap Station Shelton Chamber of Commerce Shelton Historical Society CJ's Restaurant Smoking Mo's Some R4 U The Shelton Plant Shop Union Square Deli
2021 Timber Days Event
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Would your princess enjoy tea with the Queen? Sunday, May 22 | 3 PM Colonial House, Shelton
Queen Gabriela invites future (and present) princes & princesses to join her for a beautiful tea in the garden at Shelton’s own Colonial House. Feel free to don your loveliest garden party attire and hurry to reserve your spots at this extravagant event. Tea, juice, sandwiches (without the crusts, of course!) and fine cakes will be served in the garden. There will be time to converse with the Forest Festival Royalty Court. Little ones will be amazed by the Queen and princesses. Memories will be made, fun will be had, it’s just a charming time. A little history. As the first family home of a pioneer timber family, the Reeds, the Colonial house and its gardens are a majestic tribute to our forest heritage and organizers appreciate our gracious hosts, Green Diamond.
Testimonial
The Royal Tea is simply magical! Between the beautiful decorations, tasty treats, breathtaking surrounding gardens,
Reserve your Table! The Tea will be hosted Sunday, May 22nd, 3:00-4:30 PM. Please reserve your tickets online at masoncountyforestfestival.com. Cost is $35/ adult | $15/child (ages 2-12). Each young princess/prince will receive signed autograph cards from the royalty, a tiara or crown, and other goodies to mark this fun event celebrating our Forest Festival Royalty.
and the Forest Festival royalty, this event is a must-attend event of the festival. Everything made it special. It will always hold an extra special place because it was the last time all four generations were together for a tea party. This year we’re missing two, but invited friends instead.
Syrena
Event Sponsors: Mason General Hospital, Shelton YMCA, Denis & Adele Leverich & Hood Canal Communications. Additional support from Shelton Fred Meyer.
Event updates: masoncountyforestfestival.com
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photo:© Cooper Studios
27th Annual
WOOD DUCK RACE
Kristmas Town Kiwanis is proud to bring the 27th Annual Kristmas Town Kiwanis Wood Duck Race to Forest Festival weekend. The race will begin 2 PM on Sunday, June 5 at the 7th Street bridge over Goldsborough Creek. As the yellow ducks maneuver through the creek the fastest swimmers will appear within sight of the finish line at the 1st St bridge in about 10 minutes. As they cross the finish line volunteers will wrangle the most adept swimmers to determine prizes for the individuals that sponsored each wood duck. What is a wood duck you ask? Wood ducks are simply an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to rubber ducks.
The “ducks” are chunks of wood painted yellow and numbered to correspond to the sponsor’s name. In the event a wood duck slips by the finish line, a plastic duck is not littering the shoreline of Oakland Bay.
The first duck to cross the finish line wins a $500 cash prize. Top finishing ducks receive cash prizes of $250, $100, $300 Cabelas gift card, Chicken and Jo's at Bob's Tavern, fresh clams and more.
Proceeds from the race support college scholarships and community programs sponsored by Kristmas Town Kiwanis.
Kristmas Town Kiwanis volunteers will be offering the opportunity to sponsor a duck for $1.00. Look for us on the parade route, at the logging show or contact Mark Ziegler at (360) 490-2969.
Congratulations Mason County Forest Festival!
360-229-5208 Proud to support the 78th Annual Mason County Forest Festival. Come to the Shelton Plant Shop to root your own indoor plant forest!
Find the forest in your Subaru Outback! 122 S 3RD STREET SHELTON, WA 98584
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Forest Festival's Deep Roots A TRIBUTE TO FOUNDER, HARRY CLARK Copied with permission from the Simpson Lookout (1952)
When the bands strike out and the parades begin to move in the seventh annual Mason County Forest Festival next month, one man watching the proceedings with pride in his heart will be Harry Clark of Woodfiber. Harry Clark--more than any other single individual-was responsible for starting the Forest Festival. Few public causes or celebrations come from a single person. Harry has never claimed honors for single-handedly creating the big show which is built around the idea of protection of the forests from fire. But it is well-known by men and women who worked with him in the first years of the festival, that Harry was the man who had the idea out of which has grown a county-wide demonstration of faith in the forests which is now nationally famous. Harry is now a painter, working on the paint line which coats tile products at Woodfiber, but for 13 years he was in the State and Federal Forests Service. He ran fire crews for the United States Forest Service in Idaho for three years. At one time he was associated with George Frisk, foreman of the McCleary dragsaw unit in Shelton Bay, as assistant district forest warden in Stevens County. Frisk was at that time district forest warden. Frisk and Clark were assigned to Shelton in 1942, with Clark still assistant to Frisk. During his first year in Shelton, 1942, Harry organized a movement among boys which went far toward stopping careless fire practices. He considered the
idea of organizing Junior Forest Wardens. He called at all the schools in Mason County and gave talks on fire prevention, impressing upon young lads the need of protecting timber which would someday provide them with jobs. He worked up courses for the boys to study in school. He suggested a uniform so simple and inexpensive that every Junior Forest Warden could have one. This was simply a gray sweat shirt with a fir tree stenciled on the breast under the words "Junior Forest Warden" and a red hat.
Harry Clark of Woodfiber
At the height of this program, 700 boys in Mason County schools were wearing the sweat shirts and hats of Junior Forest Wardens. The schools were devoting an hour weekly to meetings of the boys at which forest practices were discussed. The State Division of Forestry, recognizing the good work Harry Clark had done in Mason County, named him school work director for Western Washington. With the assistance which he obtained from private companies, cities and counties, Harry Clark succeeded in organizing young Forest Warden groups in several counties. The second growth "practice fields" which he established in a number of communities were forerunners of the small 44
tree farms and student forests which are being continued in many Western Washington high schools today. The good work of Harry Clark through 1942 and 1943 became a war-time casualty. As a part of curtailments in the interest of national defense, the State Forestry Division discontinued its work among the schools and the program withered through lack of individual leadership. In 1944, Harry Clark returned to Shelton as district forest warden. That year, Mason County became the first branch of the new KEEP WASHINGTON GREEN program sponsored by American Legion Posts of Washington. Harry Clark
was the first chairman of that committee. He was also the Legion's first department forester, assigned to directing work done by the Legion in conservation fields. Harry explains he got the idea for a Mason County Forest Festival one day while driving to a KEEP WASHINGTON GREEN meeting. "I realized that in Mason County we had all that is fine in life," Harry told Lookout. "We had the finest of lands for raising young forests, we had the mountains and the lakes and the salt waters, we had everything that leads to a complete and happy life."
All of this was centered in our forests in both the old growth and the second growth. Harry's idea of a celebration built around the forests was heard with interest by the members of the Mason County Keep Green Committee, but only a few favored undertaking the event in 1945, when our country was still at war. Harry recalls the support given his position of starting a Festival by Oscar Levin, Maurice Needham and Reggie Sykes. These four men were the key officers in the opening year of the Festival.
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Harry Clark wrote the first pageant, "Voice of the Spirits," which was presented in the old Lincoln Gym under direction of Mrs. Ollie Cleveland. The first Festival of 1945 was presented in April, a month earlier than the present Festival. This initial undertaking seems small in comparison with the show which will be offered through four days, May 10 to 13,1952, but it was the beginning which laid a firm foundation for the years to follow. The Shelton Chamber of Commerce undertook sponsorship of the Festival in 1945-46 and out of this support grew the non-profit Mason County Forest Festival Association, Inc., which Rudy Werberger has headed for the past several years. Harry Clark's idea has given Shelton and Mason County the unique position of being one of the few communities anywhere which combine the fun of celebration with the serious purpose of conserving a valuable natural resource - the forests.
Harry Clark of Woodfiber
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ENJOY MORE LOCAL FESTIVALS
photo:© Cooper Studios
Celebrate community.
What's Next? Old Timers Historical Fair May 7/8 – Matlock, WA
Rachel Hansen | Editor
Forest Festival represents a long tradition in Mason County and there's a reason its 78 years strong despite the last two years we have all endured. Now, more than ever, we understand how important those community ties are. Over the last two years Mason County Forest Festival volunteers endeavored to keep the event relevant even during gathering restrictions. The annual coronation was hybrid, a giant Paul Bunyan and Babe stood at the entrance to Shelton to remind everyone about their timber heritage each summer, and in 2021 a series of smaller summer street festivals, even a lantern parade and the start of the Royal Tea during Timber Days, helped keep the spirit alive.
It is so good to see our traditions back but we shouldn't take them for granted. Mason County is full of opportunities for you to connect with friends, family and make new friends – the annual Forest Festival celebrates and embodies these! Embrace your community and your local festivals, get the whole family involved –you never know when you might discover something wonderful!
Fjordin Crossin Paddle the Canal May 15 – Hoodsport, WA 78th MASON COUNTY FOREST FESTIVAL June 2-5, Shelton, WA Tour de Mason Bike Ride June 11, Shelton, WA Tahuya Day Celebration July 6 – Tahuya, WA Allyn Days July 15-17, Allyn, WA Grapeview Art & Water Festival July 23, Grapeview, WA Bluegrass From the Forest Festival July 29-31, Shelton, WA
Hood Canal Summerfest and Car Show August 13, Belfair, WA Hoodstock Music Festival August 20, Union, WA OysterFest October 2-3, Shelton, WA Christmastown Festivities December 2-31, Shelton, WA
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For details on these and more wonderful local events, lodging and things to do in the area visit explorehoodcanal.com.
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What You Don’t See Is Important, Too
Behind the scenes, our working forests are protecting clean water, clean air and wildlife habitat—all while supporting the local economy. We’re the best neighbor you’ve ever had.
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