After three years of spending summer weekends as amateur loggers, Challis Lions Club President Julie Rodman said Lions are happy they can hire wood cutters again with money they received from a federal grant.
Custer County commissioners approved an agreement with the Forest Service for a $60,000 grant to hire wood cutters. Wood cutters will be paid $200 a cord to gather wood that is then distributed to pre-approved, low-income households through the Lions Club project. Plans are for distributing up to three cords of wood per household on the first Saturdays of October, November and December at the Challis wood lot at the corner of 11th Street and U.S. Highway 93.
Mackay resident John Gentry, who volunteers his time to run his town’s wood lot, said people can load up at his site on Bar Road, right next to the dump.
Rodman said the grant program that is paying people to cut wood exists to assist communities surrounded by federal land. The funds are often used to assist with weed control, replace culverts for improved fish passage and reduce potential wildfire fuels. The local wood lots were funded by the grant in the past, but Rodman said issues out of local control drew the money away three years ago.
It’s been rough without that grant, she said. Lions Club members and other volunteers raised money to buy wood and cut some wood themselves. With the grant, Lions Club members will have time for other community projects since they don’t have to cut wood, she said.
We welcome comments, however there are some guidelines:
Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexual language. Don't Threaten:
Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be
Truthful: Don't lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice: No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading. Be Proactive: Report abusive
posts and don’t engage with trolls. Share with Us:
Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
We welcome comments, however there are some guidelines:
Keep it Clean: Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexual language. Don't Threaten: Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful: Don't lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice: No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading. Be Proactive: Report abusive posts and don’t engage with trolls. Share with Us: Tell us your personal accounts and the history behind articles.