CONTACT: Mary Margaret Colliver, (859) 257-4824 or (859) 361-1887

FOR RELEASE    

Log A Load for Kids of Kentucky Fund Endowment Announced at UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital

               LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 23, 2006) – The Log A Load for Kids of Kentucky Fund endowment completion was announced today at UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital. An unveiling and dedication ceremony also took place for the new wooden mural located at the entrance of Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

Log A Load contributors, who are part of the Kentucky Forest Industries Association and its members who are in the logging and wood products industry, have been long-time supporters of Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

The Log A Load for Kids of Kentucky Fund endowment is $125,000 and is matched by the Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund (RCTF). Income from the fund is used annually to support clinical research in pediatric cardiology and to investigate new drugs not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration that can affect seriously ill children. 

“The Kentucky Forest Industries Association is proud to sponsor the Kentucky Log a Load for Kids Program in conjunction with the Children’s Miracle Network to benefit the Kentucky Children’s Hospital,” said Bob Bauer, executive director of Kentucky Forest Industries Association. “The wood industry in Kentucky represents the third largest manufacturing industry with over 36,000 direct employees that truly care about our forests and the most precious resource – our children. We look forward to continuing and expanding our fundraising efforts to support the Kentucky Children’s Hospital in their mission to improve the health of our children throughout the state.” 

Log A Load contributors commissioned the wooden mural designed by Dan Diekhoff. The mural is located close to Kentucky Children’s Hospital elevator.

In the past, Log A Load  built an interactive tree in the Joe Bieschke Adolescent Lounge and a tree in the Treehouse Playroom.

“Our young patients at Kentucky Children’s Hospital really enjoy the interactive trees,” said Dr. Timothy Bricker, physician-in-chief of Kentucky Childen’s Hospital and professor and chair, department of pediatrics, University of kentucky College of Medicine. “The new wooden mural will bring joy to them as well as their families. And, I want to commend our caring contributors for endowing the Log A Load for Kids of Kentucky Fund. This endowment will help us continue to care for Kentucky’s sickest children.”

For more information about Kentucky Children’s Hospital, contact Loralyn Cecil, community relations manager at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, at (859) 257-1106 or go to http://www.ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kch/. For more information about Kentucky Forest Industries Association, contact Bob Bauer, executive director of Kentucky Forest Industries Association, at (502) 695-3979 or go to http://www.kfia.org/.

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