Heart of a Logger

Scott Hanington is everything you’d expect a Maine logger to be. He’s rugged, family-oriented, and proud of Wytopitlock, the small southern Aroostook County village where he’s lived for nearly six decades. Look beyond his burly physique, however, and you’ll find a much softer side.

“I may not look it on the outside, but I’m a big marshmallow when it comes to kids,” he said.

Scott’s not alone. His fellow professionals in the Maine logging and forest products industry are some of the most generous people you’ll find anywhere. Their passion? Helping children get the lifesaving care they need at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, the region’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, and other Northern Light hospitals throughout Maine.

Their support goes back to 1995, when the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC), the statewide industry group for the logging and forest industry formed and joined the Log A Load for Kids movement. Log A Load for Kids is a nationwide program that began in 1988 in South Carolina. The concept was simple: loggers and wood-supplying businesses would donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.


Bids for kids
On May 4, 2018, loggers and others in the forest products industry emerged from the heavily forested rural regions of Maine to attend the PLC Annual Meeting and Auction in Brewer. Scott’s been the auctioneer for the event from the very beginning, and his quick wit is legendary.

“Way back when we had our first PLC meeting, we learned about the young son of a logging contractor who had been mauled by a dog,” said Scott. “At the annual meeting, we had a few items, and someone says ‘Geez, Scott Hanington could auction them off.’ That’s how my career started as an auctioneer.”

The 2018 auction was fast paced. The sharp-tongued loggers traded quips with each other and with Scott as they repeatedly raised their bid cards. Just about every item sold for more than its value. Then, Scott came to the most prized auction item of the night: six fishing flies hand-tied by Noah Tibbetts, 14. Suddenly, everyone in the room was fully engaged and Scott began his rhythmic chant.

“Eight hundred fifty, now how ‘bout nine? How about nine? Got eight fifty, now have nine, thank you very much! Got nine, looking for nine fifty. Got nine fifty, how about nine seventy-five? Nine seventy-five once! Nine seventy-five twice! Sold!”

Noah beamed with pride as his flies sold for more than most of the evening’s signature auction items.

A special bond
Ask the loggers about Noah, and they’ll gush glowingly about the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital's 2014 state of Maine Champion Child. Noah’s a fixture at their events, including the Annual Meeting and Auction and an annual golf tournament in Lincoln.

“Noah, for some reason, that young boy got ahold of my heartstrings,” said Scott.

Three weeks into his life, Noah was admitted to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center and diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a life-threatening disease that can be especially difficult for an infant to overcome. With the help of a highly skilled pediatric care team, Noah overcame the disease, though he continues to receive respiratory treatments to this day. His journey inspired several loggers involved in Maine Log a Load for Kids to do something for Noah and his family that they’ll never forget.

“One year, we auctioned off a Red Sox shirt, and we arranged for the person who bought it to give it to Noah,” said Scott. “After that, one of our members donated four Red Sox tickets to Noah and his family. Then, I announced that every contractor in the room that raised their hand was going to give an extra $100 so Noah’s family could have spending money for their trip. Thirty-eight contractors raised their hand.”

Noah is just as passionate about giving back. He’s making sure that other kids have access to the care they need at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.

In 2014, he started Nickels for Noah, a fundraiser that invited his classmates at the Brewer Community School to donate nickels for a month to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. His event grew with the support of several local businesses, other schools, and even a child from Medway who was inspired to donate his change, totaling $40.30, to the cause. Noah’s raised more than $25,000 since 2014 through Nickels for Noah and other fundraising efforts.

Inspired by a young man who has given so much while facing his own health issues, Scott wrote a poem for Noah and read it at a recent PLC Annual Dinner and Auction.

“Everybody in the room had tears in their eyes,” he said. “Noah, I call him my wingman. He gets treatment and then goes home and plays a little league game. I wish I were that tough.”

Generosity in action
For Scott, the importance of quality, accessible healthcare became personal many years ago when his son and daughter-in-law faced tragedy when their twins were born with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare condition where twins share a placenta. Only one of the twins survived. It was one of many medical hardships the family has experienced in recent years which fuels Scott’s passion for helping local kids.

“The simple fact is, everybody helped us, so we want to give back,” he said. “When you see the smiles on their faces, how can you not try to help them?”

In 2018, Maine Log A Load for Maine Kids raised $118,000 for Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, adding to their 25-year total of more than $1 million. Every dollar stays in northern, central, and eastern Maine to fund the technology and programs that Maine children need to recover from serious illnesses and injuries.

“You know,” said Scott, “They’re tougher than a bald owl. Those kids, they persevere.”