Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen's Meet to give national exposure to MCC ♥

Published in the Courier-Tribune on September 20, 2011

by Hugh MArtin

TROY — Lumberjacks and jills from colleges throughout the Mid-Atlantic states will gather at Montgomery Community College in April for the Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen’s Meet and the Stihl Timbersports Competition.

The competition will be broadcast nationwide on ESPNU and the Outdoor Channel.

Michelle Haywood, Public Information Officer at MCC, updated the college’s board of trustees on the latest developments of the event, set for April 21-22, 2012.

At the September meeting, Haywood told the board, “After meeting with Stihl’s Event Marketing Specialist, Brad Sorgen, I’m excited about the amount of exposure MCC and Montgomery County will receive because of this event.”

Haywood reported that half-hour professional and collegiate Stihl Timbersports shows will be produced at the college and a minimum of six mentions of MCC and the Town of Troy will be made during the shows.

Stadium signage for MCC will appear on-screen during the broadcasts.

A 30-second MCC commercial and a 60-second “featurette” will air during breaks of the shows and event information will be posted on the Stihl Facebook page. Haywood said videographers will be filming throughout Montgomery County for scenes to be included in the promotional spots.

“The word has spread very quickly,” Haywood said. “I received a call from the Stanly County Economic Development Corp. who had heard about the event and wanted to be involved. I referred them to Montgomery EDC.”

Haywood said that the shows will air a minimum of three times, including the commercial and featurette, on ESPNU and a minimum of two times on the Outdoor Channel.

MCC has sponsored teams for several years and has had winners to move on in the competitions. A former student is now a competitor on the professional level. This will be the first year that professional lumberjacks have competed during the same event as the collegiate competition.

Forest Management Technology instructors Russell Strong and Mike Thompson have started planning and developing the stadium-area to be used. Stihl will provide funds to help the college prepare for the competition.

“This is shaping up to be quite a regional event,” Haywood said.