An Open Letter of Appreciation

This is an open letter to all of the great people of Northern Idaho, Eastern Washington and Western Montana whom I have had the pleasure of doing business with over the last 13 ½ years that I have been the resource manager at Welco Lumber in Naples, Idaho.

One fine day in September, 1994 I was doing what I do, walking out in some forest somewhere chasing one more log for Omak Wood Products, when I got back to my pick-up there was a message on my phone. The message was from Chris McCoy who was then the plant manager for Welco of Idaho, Inc., a little cedar fencing mill in Naples, Idaho. The message was that he wanted to talk to me about coming to work for Welco to buy logs. I called him back. I agreed to meet with him and talk. He met me at the Hydra where he insisted I have the prime rib dinner at Welco's expense. We talked for a while and he offered me the job on the spot. I thought about it for a few days and declined.

For the next 18 months I would get at least one call per month from Chris where he would re-offer the job of resource manager at Welco to me. Finally, in May of 1996 I accepted.

From then until now, buying logs for this little cedar mill has been more than a job, more than a career. It has been an all consuming passion! I have spent every waking hour trying to find one more cedar log for this little mill.

Now I am told that the time has come when I am going to have to say "Goodbye" to my beloved little cedar mill.

I am writing this letter to try in my own small way to express my appreciation to all of the people whom I have had the pleasure of doing business with over all of these many years. I sincerely hope that somehow, some way, some day I will have another opportunity to do business with all of you again.

You are all great people!

Sincerely,

Ken Carter