Welcome from the Mason County Forest Festival President

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.

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

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.

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.