ATHOL — As a gaggle of Canada geese lounged near second base at the Silver Lake ball park, across the field, volunteers were setting up log splitters to tackle a stockpile of wood in the back yard of the Department of Public Works.
In 2015, Travis Knetchel, Athol Tree Warden, and Melissa LeVangie, Petersham Tree Warden, had an idea to take the wood from town trees that they cut down and give it back to residents in need by providing firewood to heat their homes. The Athol Community Wood Bank was formed, with funding and equipment provided by the Urban Wood Utilization program. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) built and donated the wood bins.
The wood is given away in ½ cord (one bin) increments and is done through a voucher system. Last year 17 vouchers were given out, according to Knetchel.
A pile of 40 to 50 trees was delivered to the wood bank by National Grid through a program that identifies trees that are hazardous or in the public way. Mainly wood from oak, maple, American Elm and ash trees is collected by the DPW from street tree removals on town property. The wood bank also accepts donations of hard wood.
Knetchel said this is the first year the Athol Community Wood Bank received a $2,000 grant from the state which will go toward new components for the splitter and help with food and snacks for the volunteers.
Bill Sharp, who is retired and works part-time for the DCR, said “this is really ‘feel good’ work.” He brought along a splitter that is shared with the town of Petersham. Sharp, a retired logger who lives in Massachusetts near the Connecticut border, said that every town has unsightly and heavy wood around that nobody wants. “We get the wood into usable lengths, cut and stack them and provide them to families that need help during the winter,” he said, noting that he has seen an increase in families signing up.
The Athol Community Wood Bank is always looking for volunteers to help with splitting and stacking wood, which is done four times in the spring and three to four times in the fall. “Our annual goal is to process at least 10 cord of wood or 20 vouchers,” Knetchel said. The Farm School has been “very supportive” and University of Massachusetts students have also participated.
Knetchel said the deadline to apply for wood will be in October at the Town Hall. Vouchers will be awarded the first week of November. For more information, contact Travis Knetchel at 978-249-4542, or administrative assistant Bridget Sullivan at 978-249-2368.