Firewood Ministry provides warmth, faith and hope in Haywood County, NC

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    WAYNESVILLE, NC (WLOS ) — A daily symphony of saws and splitters is inspired by a higher calling.

“The Lord’s involved in this project,” Richard Reeves said.

Fifteen years ago, Reeves took a truckload of wood to someone who needed it. Then, he did it again.

That was the beginning of Firewood Ministry, which now includes a posse of loyal volunteers. We salute them as the News 13 Persons of the Week.

“It’s a lucky man that in his life he gets to do what the Lord wants him to do,” Reeves reflected.

A site in Waynesville has provided faith, hope and love to thousands. That’s true not just during the holidays, but every day of the year. The wood ministry gives folks a hot commodity they can no longer afford.

“And I had a guy one time tell me, he said, ‘You know, Mr. Reeves, what one of the saddest things that can happen to you in life?’ I said, ‘No, what’s that?’ He said, ‘When your wife and your children tell you they’re cold and there’s nothing you can do about it,'” Reeves said.

If you’d like to volunteer, contribute or find out more about the Firewood Ministry contact Long’s Chapel in Waynesville.

Donations can be made to Long’s Chapel United Methodist. Please make sure to indicate the donation is for the Firewood Ministry.

The need in the county is what sparks the resolve of Reeves and his volunteers, including 89-year-old John Hawkins, who splits wood every day. Another volunteer is Larry Sobil, who’s as reliable as ever even though he has cancer.

“This is relief for me. Instead of sitting around the house, I want to do something. As long as I can give, I want to keep giving,” Sobil said.

Since 2005, the ministry has delivered thousands of truckloads of wood.

“We’re going to haul 3776 today,” Reeves proudly declared when a News 13 crew tagged along a few weeks ago.

That load was for Debra Wright, of Canton.

“Praise the Lord!” Wright said to Reeves. “He is such a good man to help bring me wood, because that’s I heat with.”

“It’s a joy for me to bring it!” he said, unloading his pickup.

“When you take this to a person and you see a little old lady start to cry. You know, that keeps you going,” he said, explaining his motivation.

“It’s a blessing from God. I thank them, and I pray God bless them for it!” Wright said.

The story behind every delivery could easily bring a person to tears. Reeves said he’s helped even more people through the ministry than he did as a veteran.

“Helping people here; and people got hurt over there,” he said, becoming emotional. “My best friend from Vietnam committed suicide.”

Together, the members of the Firewood Ministry are driven to make a difference.

You can count on Sobil, even while he undergoes cancer treatments.

“This gets my mind away from my problems and gets me helping other people that can’t help themselves,” he said.

Their devotion could warm a person as much as the firewood does. It’s enough to ignite a fire under all of us to make a difference.

“You know, the Lord works in mysterious ways,” Reeves said.

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