Volunteer woodcutters warm homes and hearts

The number of homes in Sisters Country that heat with wood is significant. Likewise, upwards of 50 houseless persons living in the forest use firewood to cook and heat. Roughly half of the houseless rely on propane.

Quietly and without drawing any attention to themselves, a group of volunteers routinely provide free split wood to several dozen who otherwise would be without. About one in 22 Oregon homes use wood for heating.

For several years, Jeff Konen who resides in Black Butte Ranch has scrounged wood from neighbors thinning their lands or removing dangerous trees. He's a retired wholesale plumbing contractor. Working mostly solo, he cuts and splits donated logs and delivers in his pickup truck to those referred to him.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Jeff Konen of Black Butte Ranch "managing the pile" for the Firewood Ministry at Sisters Community Church.

The wood is processed and stored in the parking lot of Sisters Community Church. Konen is shown above managing the pile.

Most referrals come from FAN (Family Access Network). In a season he can provide about 15 cords single-handedly. Most of his recipients are older, single women.

Konen is a member of Sisters Community Church who have launched Firewood Ministry. Every Tuesday at 10 a.m. a group of volunteers, some 8 to 10 in number, gather and add substantially to Konen's pile.

It's part of the church's Get Strong Sisters mission, one of whose disciple leaders is Ryan Hudson who owns several fitness businesses in Sisters. He started his career as a financial advisor in Portland before he began a fitness ministry in Central Oregon 20 years ago. He is a personal trainer, gym owner, CrossFit coach, and world champion weightlifter.

Cameron Brown is a Get Strong member who has donated many hours in firewood ministry. Newer to the ministry is Chandelle Poole, and he, Brown, and Hudson are among the many Konen gives thanks for.

The ministry works closely with CORE (Community Outreach Resources and Emergency) Shelter, formerly Sisters Cold Weather Shelter, in coordinating need.