Click above to watch a video from the Plymouth Black Bear Festival, where the company continued celebrations of our 125th anniversary.
Every June, the town of Plymouth, North Carolina, holds a Black Bear Festival in honor of the region’s famous tree-climbing residents. The picturesque town of 3,000 swells to 30,000 for a weekend of fun and family events — from river tubing and pontoon boat tours to a classic car show, live music, timber sports and hot air balloon rides.
“The festival brings a tremendous amount of visibility, good will and economic development to the community,” says Brian Roth, mayor of Plymouth. “With a festival like this, people come in and see the opportunities we have.”
The town of Plymouth was established in 1787 and sits along the banks of the Roanoke River about seven miles from where it spills into Albemarle Sound. Our lumber mill, which we have operated since 1965, is right on the edge of town and a central part of the community.
“Plymouth is a great place to live and work,” says Alissa Cale, land asset manager, who’s worked from the Plymouth office the entirety of her 33 years with the company. “There’s a real focus on trying to get our youth to stay here. The job opportunities the mill and Weyerhaeuser provide give young people a chance to live and work in the community they were raised in. They can go off to college but still come back here and enjoy the things that made this place special to them all along.”
Alissa was one of many Weyerhaeuser volunteers staffing our booth at the Black Bear Festival, engaging with visitors and community members and sharing information about our company and job opportunities across all our businesses.
Erick Cooper, safety coordinator at the mill, was another volunteer. Many current and former high school students stopped by to greet him as “Coach” — Erick’s the head assistant coach of the basketball team.
“I always encourage my players to think about their future,” he says. “I give seminars on the different positions and career paths available right here in Plymouth. Everything in this community revolves around Weyerhaeuser. I want them to envision themselves in the future and show them the steps they can take to get there.”
The festival started out as a one-day event 11 years ago, and organizer Tom Harrison says it has grown into something really meaningful to the community and larger region — a true showcase of why Plymouth has been such a great place to operate for decades.
A team from Weyerhaeuser was on hand to help capture the festivities as part of our 125th anniversary celebrations this year, and you can check out the videos and photos below to learn more about Plymouth and the Black Bear Festival!
