GLTPA's Director's Notes
Success to Significance
Greetings,
Success: noun-the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors: the accomplishments of one’s goals. Significance: noun-the quality of being significant or having meaning.
It is that time of year when organizations send out invoices for yearly membership dues, complete their budgets for the following year and hold elections for board members. When asking members to renew their investment in an organization it is often common practice to send a list of successes to inform members of the value, or the return they receive for their investment. The question that comes to mind is whether it is success that matters or is it really significance that matters most? Successes do matter. Success is needed for significance to be the driving force uninhibited by outside forces or influence.
From my perspective, that of fellow teammates as representatives of GLTPA, and the board of directors, significance is the driving factor for GLTPA to remain a credible and viable association. In the big picture and to remain significant, it matters where an associations income comes from. The same can be true for politicians, musicians, and a variety of others. If the income comes from the wrong source, those sources will always expect a return on investment and direct that association or person’s actions. History provides the details that it’s sort of a self-imposed blackmail situation. An example I recently learned of involved country western singer John Rich from the duo “Big and Rich.”
John Rich’s example comes from his three-hour interview conducted on the Shawn Ryan show. I won’t get into all the detail, but the bottom line is that when Rich, who is the son of a Baptist Preacher began speaking out about woke, his “handlers” as he described them, began putting the brakes on his actions by telling him what he could and could not do and where he could perform. Simply stated, the record label owned him. He discusses the journey God took him on and how he has transformed from success to significance.
The GLTPA board has does an excellent job managing association assets, however it’s a certain bet that GLTPA is not independently wealthy like John Rich, however, GLTPA is very representative of its members who are for the most part independent individuals and businesses. Being so allows GLTPA to represent members credibly on issues that members may not always, for various reasons, be able to do for themselves. Having significance is having the ability to provide members with reputable, credible, unhindered representation utilizing the benefits GLTPA offers.
Whether it’s working as a sole organization or in harmony with other associations, being at the table to promote the forest industry by educating the public, or working with individual members to address their issues or concerns, GLTPA will remain deeply committed to improving forest health and promoting the values sustainable forest management. Being a representative for the forest industry is a passion that never ends. With the guidance from an active board of directors and with team implementation, representation will continue its trajectory of improvement for the foreseeable future.
FISTA is another organization of great significance. Some folks may not realize that SFI training is only a part of what FISTA does as an educational organization. In addition to SFI training and data base management for trainees, the majority of FISTA services is providing chainsaw safety training. Companies from all over the U.S. have come to rely on FISTA for its trainers and their training expertise to educate employees in the safe use of a chainsaw. SFI training and chainsaw safety training go hand-in-hand however, they are separate businesses when the training applies to those outside of the logging sector.
FISTA is also home for the Earl St. John Education Fund. This education fund was formed by GLTPA several years ago, but the boards of directors wisely chose to move the fund to FISTA for three reasons. The boards main reason for the move was to maximize funds spent to educate folks about the benefits of forest management. This move was an act of selfless significance because the boards realize that at the end of the day it’s the results that matter and not who gets the credit. The second reason is that FISTA is focused on education, making the fund a better fit for this organization. And last is that FISTA is a 501 (c) 3 which means any donation to the St John fund is fully tax deductible. Had the fund remained under the GLTPA umbrella donations are only partially deductible. The education fund is always open for donations.
The St John Education Fund has helped thousands of children experience for some, a once in lifetime trip to Trees for Tomorrow and live, in the woods, Log a Load for Kids events. It has also funded the movement of equipment to and from school career days, transportation studies, buses, and meals for children to attend the Great Lakes Logging EXPO, and several other educational events including the sponsorship of children going to Washington DC. One young man from lower Michigan was able to participate in the American Loggers Council annual Washington DC fly-in. Another group of high school children and their chaperones were able to participate in operation Wise Owl. Operation Wise Owl brought children from around the country to the Nation’s capitol to speak with Congressmen about the importance of Secure Rural School Funding for their rural schools.
The St John Education Fund operates on money raised at the annual golf outing held in conjunction with the Great Lakes Logging EXPO. Additional money is raised with generous raffle donations provided by GLTPA, FABICK Cat, Ponsse, CrossTrac Equipment, FISTA, D&L Chainsaw Carving, McCoy & Truck Country, Forest/Mauck/Loggers Insurance, Komatsu/Roland, Zamberlan, and retired Oneida County Forest Administrator Paul Fiene who generously donates the custom-made fishing net. The children whose lives are enriched because of your participation in the golf outing and raffle sales is an immeasurable act of significance that will have an impact for generations to come.
The ultimate example of going from success to significance is one that will never be duplicated. It is an example in its purest form, and we should strive to learn it and follow it throughout our entire life. The example I’m referring to is that of Jesus Christ during his time on earth. Being that us who are Christians are born into sin by nature, there is no comparison of our significance to His, but He has set the example for us to follow in how we should live according to His will.
Think about the examples of Jesus’ successes. The healing of the leper, the raising of the son of the widow of Nian in the book of Luke chapter 7: 11-17, the raising of Jairus’ daughter Luke 8:49-55, the blind man in Bethsaida, the deaf and dumb man, the man with the withered hand and many other examples in the book of Matthew. Then think about the significance of His life, His example of leadership, His crucifixion, and His resurrection from the dead to defeat Satan. There is no better example for us to follow than what Jesus Christ has set before us. When thinking about the current times with the riots, disorderly conduct and chaos, the devil and his army are hard at work trying to destroy what God created. For those of who believe in God, we are assured that we are on the winning team because God has already defeated the devil with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have been assured that one day we will sit with Him in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven.
As Christmas approaches and we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, think about what more we can do to become significant in our service to others, even when it means stepping away from popular opinion to follow Gods example. The reward for doing so will be greater than anyone one of us could ever imagine.
Until next year,
Henry
Luke 2: 8-14; and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on who his favor rests.”