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As the cost of living goes up, more people are having a hard time heating their homes. In rural New England, that means firewood. Lots of people still rely on it for heat. Maine Public Radio's Nora Saks joined a group of volunteers who gather every weekend to give away firewood and has the latest story in our series on volunteerism in America, Here to Help.
NORA SAKS, BYLINE: Maine is cold and full of trees. And in this state where about half of all households still burn some wood to stay warm, the tradition of sharing firewood with your neighbors is nothing new. But in recent decades, that practice has become a lot more formalized thanks to the advent of wood banks, which are like food pantries but for wood.
(SOUNDBITE OF WOOD CRUNCHING)
SAKS: On a mild Saturday morning in late fall, Tom Matthews is feeding chunks of logs into a machine that slices them up into pieces that can easily fit inside a wood stove.
TOM MATTHEWS: We have two splitters going, about 15 or 20 volunteers, it looks like, here to work three or four hours and get some wood split up and ready to go and help our neighbors stay warm this winter.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINE CLANGING)
SAKS: Like most of the folks buzzing around the Downeast Wood Bank in sweaty tees and dirty Carhartts, the Santa Claus-bearded 72-year-old is retired and loves working outside, especially with wood.
MATTHEWS: I do it all, so I don't know that I have a favorite. I enjoy the splitters just because it's, you know, strong and beefy. And, you know, it makes me look strong and beefy, which I am not.
SAKS: Matthews has helped run the nonprofit wood bank, which serves seven towns in rural Maine, since it was founded in 2021. This winter, they're distributing 75 cords of seasoned firewood free of charge, a half a cord, or about a pickup truck full, at a time to anyone in need.
MATTHEWS: We've helped so many families with situations. Like, you know, we had a call one week a couple of years ago where the lady was burning her shed. She was taking planks off of her shed to stay warm. And that kind of thing, it happens. It happens more than we like to realize it or admit. And that's why we were founded, and that's why we continue to try to help people out.
SAKS: Officially, there are now more than a dozen wood banks in Maine. And at this one, the line between who's giving and who's receiving is blurry.
(SOUNDBITE OF LOGS CLUNKING)
SAKS: Heather May, who runs a small livestock farm, is one of 10 folks scheduled to come pick up wood today. She rolls up in a vintage Ford pickup that she's named...
HEATHER MAY: Big Booty Bethany (laughter).
SAKS: Volunteers help May chuck firewood into the truck bed.
(SOUNDBITE OF LOGS CLUNKING)
SAKS: She's grabbing one load for her household, and then one for some older folks who she says can't get around very easily.
MAY: I'm also disabled. I have two blown-out knees. But I also have a truck. So when I come pick up, I also deliver for other people that are less fortunate, as well.
SAKS: With a cord of dry firewood costing around $300 these days, May said she tries to make what she gets from here each month stretch as far as it can, at least for now.
MAY: So we're hoping to start cutting our own wood and slowly wean off of the wood bank. And that's always the goal, to wean off of the resources and then to also start contributing.
(SOUNDBITE OF LOGS CLUNKING)
SAKS: After a break for cider, cookies and some chit-chat, volunteer Tom Matthews tells me that people get involved and stay involved - and show up rain, snow or shine - because in addition to the heating fuel, there's another kind of warmth that wood banks provide.
MATTHEWS: We've become kind of a mini family. And everybody looks forward to coming to do the work and to help families out, but to also see each other.
SAKS: He says this season is looking like it'll be their busiest yet. But Matthews and the other volunteers are already preparing next winter's supply. They're already halfway there.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINE RUMBLING)
UNIDENTIFIED VOLUNTEER: Take a break. Take five.
SAKS: For NPR News, I'm Nora Saks.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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