Trio feted at logging conference

Three timber industry stalwarts were given awards at the 62nd Sierra Cascade Logging Conference this week in Northern California.

The Logger of the Year is Harold Kiper, 83, the owner of Kiper and Kiper Logging in Squaw Valley, Calif. He has been a contract logger in the central Sierras for almost 60 years, and is "still going strong," say conference organizers. He and his wife, Mary, have been married for more than 60 years and have two sons and nine grandchildren.

The Roy Derek Berridge Award goes to Sherry L. Crawford of Seiad Valley, the owner and office manager of a logging company since 1979. She's had numerous school and civic leadership positions through the years and has been a member of the USDA's Resource Advisory Council since 2001. She's been married 44 years and has four children, 21 grandchildren and two adoptees coming.

The John Jarrett Award recipient is Buzz Eades, a lifelong logger and past president of the logging conference who is now its Logging Sports Show co-chairman. He and his wife, Murial, just returned from China, where their son is a missionary.

Congratulations to Harold, Sherry and Buzz.