Timaru Rotary Club members were recently treated to a morning tea from Family Works to thank them for the hard work they put into the firewood project, which has helped local people this past winter.
The project has been running for about five years, but the Rotary club had been doing this kind of work for about 10 years.
Timaru Rotary Club firewood project co›ordinator Tony Henderson said members picked up timber offcuts from a factory in Redruth and cut and bagged them at the port.
Every couple of months they held a working bee and cut some of the thinner pieces of wood into kindling for those who had firewood but were unable to cut kindling.
It was then delivered to charities, who gave it to families and individuals in need.
‘‘We are helping to fulfil a basic need in a community where people with that need are largely hidden,’’ he said.
‘‘We have delivered 1400 bags of firewood and 140 banana boxes of kindling wood this year.’’
Mr Henderson said the amount they delivered this year was down a wee bit from last year due to Covid-19. ‘‘The factory was closed during lockdown, and then they had problems with staff shortages so there has not been the volume of wood.’’ He said it was not just the club helping make it happen; it relied on the support and goodwill of various organisations to be able to give back to the community.
‘‘The use of the building is rent›free, we have a company that pays for our power, and we get our material for free.
‘‘We also recycle stock feed bags from the dairy industry which are used to put the wood in.
‘‘It’s not just us, it is a whole group within the community helping us help these people. We are probably the catalyst.’’
Some of the charities Rotary gives firewood to include Family Works, the Salvation Army, St John, Plunket, St Vincent de Paul and Arowhenua Whanau Services.
Family Works intake service worker and firewood co› ordinator Christine Liggett said families were so appreciative as it was one less thing to worry about.
‘‘We had a family who said they can stay as afamily in their lounge tonight instead of everybody going to bed early to keep warm in their beds.’’
She said she has seen an increase in the numbers of people needing wood this year.
‘‘It’s really telling and there is so much need.
‘‘To be warm is a basic necessity of life, and we really appreciate what the club is doing.’’
