County looking at firewood ministry options for County Home tree removal
The Holmes County Home and Holmes commissioners continue to seek the best way to remove a number of felled trees that came down during the storm this past summer that caused massive damage. The current efforts are to connect with area firewood missions.
Cleaning up the remains of downed trees left behind by the summer of 2022 derecho storm continues to linger, but the Holmes County commissioners are hoping to take care of one area of downed trees on county property soon.
The Holmes County Home near Holmesville continues to seek the best avenue to remove several felled trees that came down during the storm, and Monday, Feb. 27 the commissioners met with Holmes County prosecutor Matt Muzik to discuss options concerning the removal of the trees that are along the property line. The removal of the trees is important because the County Home rents out the land surrounding the facility to be farmed, and the trees are interfering with some of the land.
“We’re going to look at some area rescue missions that do tree removal, turn it into firewood and give it away,” commissioner Joe Miller said.
“We do have several firewood ministries around (Millersburg) that do that kind of work that may be interested in looking at doing the work,” Muzik added. “They will actually come in and split the wood, then they have it on hand and donate it out to people who are in need who would heat their homes with wood.”
Two names that cropped up that might be interested were Broken Ground Ministries in Millersburg and Christian Aid Ministries in Berlin, both of whom Muzik said have firewood ministries.
Muzik said there are also several other churches that host this type of ministry.
Commissioner Dave Hall said he has examined the trees on the County Home property, and it is good hardwood that would make excellent firewood to heat a home. He added that there is plenty of it as well.
“If we can clean up the area and have it used for a good purpose, that helps people in our community,” Hall said of the wood. “That would be ideal.”
Muzik said he would draw up an official document for the tree removal and do some legwork in contacting some area organizations that might be interested to find a suitor for the job.