Fentress County Sheriff’s Department ready with the Winter Wood Program, collecting and delivering free firewood to seniors and vulnerable residents struggling to heat their homes.
Senior Center Director Kelly Young said the initiative relies on trees and other disbursed wood being processed and distributed. Young said the department stores excess supplies at the local jail to ensure immediate access when residents request assistance.
“I know they do try to focus on seniors and those with small children, things like that, but to my knowledge they would never turn anyone away if they needed wood to stay warm,” Young said.
Young said the demand for firewood has remained steady because many residents find it to be a more affordable and effective heat source than modern alternatives. Residents can apply for the program by contacting the senior center, the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, or the sheriff’s department directly.
“As long as that’s able to be done, I think people will continue to use it, but I don’t think that there are any more that are actually doing it intentionally,” Young said. “I think if someone were to go build a new house they’re not necessarily gonna have the wood burning stove just to keep their house warm, but I do think that need is still significantly there for the older generation.”
Young said trustees handle the entire physical process of splitting the wood into manageable pieces and stacking it at the recipient’s home. The program accepts donations of wood from community members who have extra supply or need help clearing their land.
“If someone knows where the wood’s at then they could get the Sheriff’s department a call, they could call here at the Senior Center or UCHRA and say hey there’s this wood available, I don’t need it and I would love to donate it towards that program,” Young said. “Or if you know of someone, you can definitely call any of us and let us know who it is and we can get their name or their information to the appropriate person to get that wood to them.”
Young said the program could benefit from increased public awareness and more volunteers to help identify those in need.
“I just think that this program is not as well known as it could be,” Young said. “They do a great job at saying, hey, it’s time, we have wood, but if there was a good amount of wood coming in I think the more advertisement would help.”
