The Sweet Home Forestry Club is growing like a weed, with a membership that has tripled since it began 2 1/2 years ago.
“Last year we had 17 students in the club; this year we have 39,” club Adviser Dustin Nichol said. ” I am excited about the upcoming year. We have been successful in the individual competition points; now, with our numbers, we have a chance to make a run for the team placement points.
The club is planning to host its first forestry competition in over 20 years this March, said Nichol, who was a sophomore at Sweet Home High School when the forestry program was cut, in 1985.
He said the club teaches skills that students can use at home or in the workplace €“ how to run a chainsaw safely and effectively, how to be an arborist, how to climb a pole, as well as more technical subjects such as timber cruising and log scaling and more general skills such as how to prepare and conduct one’s self at a job interview.
“I look at this as not only a sport but as a career-building opportunity,” Nichol said.
He said he’s not sure why the club, which began with less than a dozen students in the spring of 2008, has grown so fast.
“My advisory board and me felt that ‘if we build it they will come’ and so far that has held true to form,” Nichol said. “It is never too late to join the club and we expect more students to sign up as the year goes on.
“I think it’s kids who want to be involved in something but don’t want to put in three hours a night.
“The kids I’m getting hold of work or have hobbies that would interfere with them going out for sport like wrestling or track or basketball.
“To get five people to work in unison in basketball, or in football you need 11 people moving in the same direction. Whereas, with forestry, you can make it as big as you want or as small as you want.”
The club offers 16 events and members are encouraged to compete in at least four when it goes to a competition. The most recent was at Scio on Nov. 4, where Sweet Home scored 147 points €“ its most ever.
“As they get involved, I encourage them to do more,” Nichol said.
“These aren’t kids doing it on a mat, one-on-one under a spotlight. There’s not a lot of pressure. The kids have fun with it.”
Individual results from the Scio competition are:
Jill Crosscut €“ (2) Meisha Carlin and Krista Coleman
Open Jill pole climb €“ (2) Cheryl Wilson
Jill Power buck €“ (4) Meisha Carlin
Jill Arbor climb €“ (3) Kristen Toll; (4) Ann Marie Miller
Novice Jill pole climb €“ (1) Kristen Tolle; (2) Kayla Rood
Jill Choker setting €“ (2) Cheryl Wilson
Jill Axe throw €“ (2) Amy Olmstead
Novice Jack pole climb €“ (1) Cody Loewin; (4) Brandon Corteau
Compass and Pacing €“ (4) Eric Munts
Map Reading €“ (2) Eric Munts
Job interview €“ (3) Chas Palmer; (4) Brandon Corteau
Written expression €“ (4) Chas Palmer
Jack Axe throw €“ (4) Brandon Corteau
Prepared Speech €“ (1) Chas Palmer
Jack Choker setting €“ (2) David Horner; (3) Calvin Babbit
Power Bucking Jack €“ (2) Mack Dyke; (3) Chas Palmer