Firewood 4 Good Program Helps Keep the Community Warm

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.

A local church is offering free firewood to those challenged with heating their homes this winter — especially those who need help paying for gas, oil, electricity or wood and pellet bills.

For the third year, Greater Buffalo Run Valley United Methodist Church, 112 Trinity Court, Bellefonte, is offering its Firewood 4 Good program to folks with a wood burning fireplace, wood stove or wood boiler. The church is located off state Route 550/Buffalo Run Road near the State College Regional Airport.

According to program organizer Craig Womeldorf, the program doubled in size in 2025, providing 25 cords of wood to recipients last year.

“A cord is 4′ x 4′ x 8′ of hardwood. That is quite a bit!” Womeldorf said.  “We calculated that 25 cords are roughly equal to the heat provided by $22,000 of electricity at rates last year.”

He said the church is ready to provide more wood in 2026 if the need grows again, which he expects to be the case.

“People are already contacting us with significant needs,” Womeldorf said.

Womeldorf said the program is open to anyone in need, and recipients are not formally screened.

“We have had no issues with people taking advantage of the offer,” Womeldorf said.

Wood pickup is on the third Saturday of each month from October through March, which is the same day as the church’s food pantry. They will also deliver at a reasonable distance from the church, and they also offer emergency deliveries.

“Recipients of deliveries often offer gas money, but it is not required,” Womeldorf explained. “There is no charge for firewood. Basically, we marry wood that would be wasted with people in need who have trouble meeting fuel bills.”

A core group of about 10 volunteers gather, process, and season (dry) the wood all year round in preparation for the distribution. Womeldorf said the group has “firewood workdays” every month and special workdays when additional volunteers are available.

The church receives wood from local municipalities, especially Bellefonte, when the borough conducts tree work. Wood is also obtained from church members clearing land, as well as from community donations.

“All gathering, cutting, splitting, seasoning, loading and delivery is done by our congregation volunteers with great support for Parson’s Tree Service, Sigma Pi fraternity at Penn State and the PSU Fresh Start Program,” Womeldorf said.

He said the church is always looking for good, quality hardwood donations. The group also enjoys welcoming new volunteers.

Firewood 4 Good Program

Those in need of wood to assist with fuel costs this heating season should contact Greater Buffalo Run Valley UMC at 814-355-2208 or by email at gbrvumcsecretary@gmail.com. Include full name, address, phone number and email for the person in need of wood, the location to receive the wood, as well as the information of the person contacting the church if they are a third party.

A standard pickup bed holds about 1/3 of a cord (called a “face” cord) and the church can provide up to one cord per request.

The standard length of wood is 16 inches, and will vary from approximately 12 to 18 inches, which will fit most equipment.

Wood “chunks” under 12 inches are also available, and the church often has those to provide a larger amount to those in need.

Wood can be picked up or delivered. Pickups are on the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon. Recipients should arrive with a vehicle or trailer for volunteers to load the wood. Those receiving wood will be recorded for church records.

Deliveries to a limited range around the church occur also on those same Saturdays.

Volunteers cut to length, split, and stack wood for drying on church property prior to delivery.  The moisture content of the wood is measured to be sure it is ready. Only hard firewood from many tree species is provided. Pine wood is not provided.