Local firewood ministry needs individual, group volunteers

By Karen Kluever

Guest Writer

  • Volunteer woodchuckers Glynn Bourque and Ricky Beggs cut donated wood for Hinton’s Firewood Ministry.
    Volunteer woodchuckers Glynn Bourque and Ricky Beggs cut donated wood for Hinton’s Firewood Ministry.

    Hinton Rural Life Center desperately needs volunteers to pick up donated wood. This typically involves going to the donor’s home, cutting up the downed trees, loading it on a truck and taking it to Hinton’s firewood lot on Hinton Center Road in Hayesville. Over 30 donors are waiting to have wood pick ups.

    Hinton’s regular Firewood Ministry volunteers — the Woodchuckers — have been working especially hard this past year, with lower numbers of mission teams coming to help, due to COVID-19. Many residents in Hinton’s service area of Clay, Cherokee and Towns counties depend on this program for wood to heat their homes. Over 450 truckloads of firewood were distributed last year, almost 80 more loads than in 2019.

    This is a flexible opportunity for individuals or for groups of volunteers from churches, organizations and businesses. There is something for every ability and skill level. 

    If you can help our Woodchuckers, call Ricky Hill at Hinton Rural Life Center at (828) 389-8336 or email: ricky@hintoncenter.org.