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May 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels March 22, 2004 Chopping away at poverty By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings Powered by donations, good will and sweat, the Jackson County Fuel Committee is making use of the recent mild weather to get a jump on wood cutting for next winter. The Ashland-based group started in 1978, and since then has worked to provide free firewood to people in need. Working together, Phil Hutchings (left) and Patrick Mclain, both of Ashland, sort and stack wood as part of a volunteer effort to provide wood to burn to area needy families. Satsuki Doi Ashland Daily Tidings "We try to assure that people don't have to choose between heat and other necessities - like food," JCFC Operations Manager Randy Jones said. On a recent Saturday in March, a group of eight JCFC volunteers toiled in the late-morning sun, chopping wood, hauling logs and operating a hydraulic splitter behind a private home off a dirt lane on the outskirts of town. The wood was donated, as was the yard space to store it, the volunteers' time and the hydraulic splitter. "They needed all this wood split and my neighbor lets me borrow his splitter," volunteer Ben Garr said, taking a short breather from the job. The turnout that day was good, according to Jones, who said the Saturday efforts typically bring out between three and ten volunteers. "It depends on the weather and how many people I can call," Jones said. "The more volunteers we get, the more we can do. It's nice in the winter too, as long as it's not snowing. We're usually out in the woods on Saturdays." Wood cuts and delivery runs continue year-round, with the committee serving between 25 and 50 people in a typical year, according to Jones. "More, if it's a cold winter," he added. Composed of forestry, timber and mill workers, low-income seasonal workers, students, teachers, clergy and other community members, the Fuel Committee is "dedicated to addressing the disparity between the lack of access to heating fuel for thousands of low-income workers and families and the abundance of heating resources in the area," according to a JCFC newsletter. One beneficiary of the program is Tom Kelly, who was unable to work for a time in 2000, and relied on the group for firewood. "It helped us get through the winter," Kelly said. Now recovered, Kelly gives back to the program by helping with the wood gathering and cutting. "Seniors especially need help," Kelly said. Kelly is typical of the volunteer base, according to Jones. "It's a self-help, collective effort," Jones said. "Anybody who does something is with the committee." The group also works to weatherize homes and help educate lower income people on ways to save energy. "We're building a voice in the low-income community," Jones said. That voice is fleshed out in the organization's publication "Ye Olde Saw," which has regular stories on energy issues and updates on the various programs and events coordinated through JCFC. It is also packed with advertisements from businesses which support the organization. The committee is always looking for new blood, and welcomes volunteers and donations of money, time, equipment, expertise or wood. Right now, a pressing need is a shed to store collected wood, according to Jones. For information, call 488-2905. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams