Volunteers from a half-dozen Greeneville-area churches have joined forces with Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries to meet the winter-heating needs of less-fortunate citizens who heat their homes with wood.

Participating churches include: Christ United Methodist, Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian, Asbury United Methodist and St. James Episcopal.

Tony Williams, a Greeneville firefighter who also chairs the missions and outreach committee of Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, said the Greeneville-Greene County Wood Ministry was formed this fall to gather, split and deliver loads of fire wood free of charge to area residents who meet criteria set by Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries.

Community Ministries operates the local food bank and also administers, free of charge, the annual "Coal Fund" campaign that has been sponsored for decades by The Greeneville Sun.

The Coal Fund campaign solicits financial donations from individuals, churches and businesses between Thanksgiving and Dec. 31 each year to help less-fortunate citizens meet their winter heating needs.

Community Ministries screens applicants for heating assistance to ensure that they qualify to receive heating assistance.

Williams said the Wood Ministry is an outgrowth of an effort begun last year by Greeneville's Christ United Methodist Church.

Ginger Isom, pastor of Christ UMC, said her church's United Methodist Men's organization agreed to begin splitting and delivering wood free of charge to qualifying residents after she learned that Community Ministries was having to purchase wood, at a cost of $60 to $70 per pickup truck load.

Rev. Isom said her church's men's group also purchased a wood splitter last year for use in splitting wood for delivery to elderly and disabled residents as well as qualifying families with small children.

She estimated that The Christ United Methodist Church United Methodist Men delivered 50 to 60 loads of wood free of charge for Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries last year.

She noted that the amount of wood the United Methodist Men supplied free of charge to clients approved by Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries last year saved that organization between $3,500 and $4,200 last year.

Rev. Isom said her husband, Greg Isom, has been helping coordinate the expanded Wood Ministry effort this year.

Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian's Williams said he approached Christ United Methodist Church leaders this fall about expanding the Wood Ministry.

He noted that his church also purchased a wood splitter for use with the project.

"We started working in September," Williams said. "When we started, there were only four or five of us working to build up a stockpile of wood. But we've slowly grown to the point that we had about 20 volunteers from six churches working this past Saturday."

As of Oct. 31, Williams said, Wood Ministry volunteers have split and delivered 53 pickup loads of wood since September.

"My goal originally for this year was to deliver 100 loads of wood," Williams said. "But we now know the need is much greater than we thought. I estimated it will take 200 to 300 loads to meet the need."

Rev. Isom said Wood Ministry organizers plan, weather permitting, to conduct "firewood jamborees" this Saturday, Nov. 7, and on Saturday, Nov. 14, and need as many additional volunteers as possible to take part on those days.

Williams said those taking part in the Wood Ministry project plan to continue working as long as there is a need.

In addition to volunteers from the community and local churches, Williams said, the Wood Ministry is benefiting from labor supplied by work-release inmates from the Greene County Detention Center.

"They have really helped out a lot," he said, noting that anywhere from five to 10 work-release inmates volunteer to help out on Saturdays.

The owner of the former Delfasco plant at the intersection of East Church Street and Bernard Avenue is allowing the Wood Ministry to use the building to store wood and the property to split the wood.

Williams said volunteers from St. James Episcopal Church are helping to deliver wood on weekdays. "We've learned that many people wait until they are completely out of wood before they call Community Ministries for help," Williams said. "So it's important to have volunteers who can respond the same day to deliver wood."

Both Williams and Rev. Isom said more volunteers are needed and that volunteers don't have to come from churches.

"This would be a great project for Scout groups and civic organizations," Rev. Isom said.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to take part or who wants more information about the Wood Ministry is asked to call Williams at 823-1932 or Greg Isom at (865) 805-8815.

If you are in need of wood to heat your home and are a resident of Greeneville or Greene County, contact the Food Bank at 638-1667.