GRASS VALLEY, Calif. June 9, 2024 – Gold Country Senior Services Firewood Program was notified mid-May that their lease on the Brunswick property was terminated early. Over 200 cords of wood had to be moved before the June 25 deadline. The regular volunteers for this long-running program, who call themselves Woodchuckers, needed additional help loading, delivering and stacking. Enter the community.
Once the Wood Program’s predicament was known, volunteers reached out to the Gold Country Senior Services (GCSS) and bolstered the ranks of the Woodchuckers.
Program is one of the last of its kind in Northern California
Wholly supported by volunteers who work year-round to pick up, split, stack, and deliver the wood, the program is one of the last of its kind in Northern California. On average, 225 senior households rely on these supplies each year, with more households served when winter storms hit the area. Since 1979, over 5,000 cords have proved a lifeline for many of Nevada County’s most vulnerable seniors, a release from GSCC stated.
Woodchucker Jerry Westfall provided us an update on the amazing efforts to remove the wood before the deadline:
Over the past 15 actual work days, May 13, 2024 – June 8, 2024 we have moved the following firewood out of the Brunswick yard:
Woodchucker Jerry
- 85 cords of oak have been delivered to our purchasers and brought in $27,625 to our bank account.
- 56 cords of conifer have been loaded into clients trucks, trailers, suvs and the trunks of sedans.
- 15 cords of conifer delivered to clients that only have their wood delivered to them by the Woodchuckers.
- 50 cords of conifer removed on our June 1, 2024 Public Distribution Day.
- 12 cords removed on final Public Distribution Day June 8, 2024.
Some 20 cords remain and the volunteers hope to have them delivered in the next two weeks. Prospective volunteers are encouraged to contact Shari Montez-Esterly at (530) 615-4541 before showing up at the worksite.