Since 1981, each Hickory Shirt-Heritage Days, a person has been honored during the celebration in October with the Pioneer Logger Award. The award is given out by the West End Business and Professional Association.
The WEBPA is seeking nominees for the 2017 celebration. Past award winners include:
1981 Lawrence Brager, 1982 Haasel Ray, 1983 Perry Duncan, 1984 E.L Whitehead, 1985 Ernie King, 1986 Walt Roberg, 1987 Bill Wentworth, 1988 Ted Spoelstra, 1989 Floyd Thornton, 1990 Joe Bunker, 1991 Wiley Duncan, 1992 Bob Tuttle Sr., 1993 Martin Dimmell, 1994 Edwin Duncan, 1995 Ray Hull, 1996 Maynard Lucken, 1997 Del Huggins, 1998 Richard Miller, 1999 Lawrence Gaydeski, 2000 Jack Olson, 2001 Joel Dahlgren, 2002 Kaye Kelso, 2003 Lloyd Allen and Myron Simmons, 2004 Rockey Fletcher Sr., 2005 Walley Crippen, 2006 Eleanor Thornton, 2007 E.C. Gockerell, 2008 Gene Spaulding, 2009 Ingrid Dahlgren, 2010 Carroll Koenke, 2011 Jess Parris, 2012 Willard Morgan, 2013 Dale Raben, 2014 Fred Shaw, 2015 Jack Merrick, 2016 Ernie Nielsen and Jay Sarnowski.
In the past, the award has been given to those that worked in the timber industry as well as those that did their job in the spirit of the pioneer logger — worked hard, did the job right and usually loved what they did.
Criteria is a man or woman who lived and worked in the West End, usually retired or should be retired, and their approach to work fits the pioneer logger spirit.
Send your nominations to cbaron@forksforum.com or drop them by the Forks Forum office. Hickory Shirt-Heritage Days run Oct. 11-15.
