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(19 posts)

Nickelsville needs seasoned wood, no more green limbs, etc

Started 4 months ago by adelle1016
Latest reply from Betty T

adelle1016
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The neighborhood is complaining of the type of smoke coming from the Nickelsville camp fire due to the burning of green boughs. So all the boughs have to sit for a year or however long it takes for them to be dry. They really need seasoned wood or CLEAN scrap (no nails/paint, etc). I guess this could be a daily post, because no matter how much wood they might have at the moment, the fire is going 24/7 so it burns up quickly. They do have some now, so there is not an immediate emergency, just a constant need.

Posted 4 months ago #
hammerhead
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I can NOT promise anything but my brother lives in Cle Elum and if he can find some wood and cross the pass, he may be able to come up with some thing. Again I can NOT promise anything.

Posted 4 months ago #
JoB
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adelle1016...

I am not sure the person making the rules about only seasoned wood at nicklesville have any idea how much wood it takes to provide cooking fires for about 100 people and to keep them from freezing.

i heard somewhere that the statistic for using fires for a primary source of heat and cooking is one fire to 10 people.

by that formula, Nickelsville would be burning 8 to 10 fires on any given day.

the reality is that they mostly burn only two.. excepting for the occasional extra fire during mealtimes..

and even then they burn too much wood to adhere to the "seasoned" firewood only restriction.

That said.. burning evergreen tree branches with needles still attached is dangerous...
as anyone who has ever tried to burn their christmas trees can attest..

Posted 4 months ago #
munchkin22
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Adelle1016: did the woodmaster in camp give you the particulars on what wood they are able to burn? We were there for the greens debacle and understand they cannot accept painted or otherwise treated wood but we've been supplying them with lumber, with nails, and pallets for burning, since week 2 of them being at their current site, which has been about 7 months and had, until recently, been pretty much their only source of wood. If nails are now an issue,they will be losing out on a significant amount of warmth and cooking ability. I'd venture to say we've delivered about 30-50 truckloads of nail laden lumber without a comment from any woodmaster that has had that responsibility in the past 7 months.In fact they've been overwhelmingly grateful. I'm not trying to blow our horn here, just trying not to cut off a source that other people were beginning to provide as well.
They have used that same lumber/pallets to fix their living quarters, built the security bridge, fences and the like and I suspect they reused the nails that came with it.
We intend to be at the all camp meeting tonight so I will ask if the policy has changed, and will repost with the answer.
We have a couple of sources of seasoned tree wood
and extra help with chains saws that we will attempt to retrieve this week.

Posted 4 months ago #
adelle1016
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I think as long as they don't get more evergreen boughs, they would be happy with anything that can burn that won't be harmful to them or their neighbors. I totally agree JoB !! Thanks for all you do!

Posted 4 months ago #
Smitty
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These exist all over the country (like the dwindling occupy movement) so why are they not called Obamaville?

Thanks

Posted 4 months ago #
Garden_nymph
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Let's PLEASE keep the politics out of it. Smitty, help or don't, but let's keep the blame and mud slinging out of this thread! Our neighbors are cold and need help, so sad you feel the need to get petty.

Posted 4 months ago #
miws
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Thank you, Garden_nymph....

Mike

Posted 4 months ago #
adelle1016
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garden_nymph Thank you so much...I had to go to a job for a few hours and so could not respond, but you said exactly what I would have wanted to say. Homelessness did not happen under one President. The issue here is of human beings needing some help.

Posted 4 months ago #
Garden_nymph
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You're welcome Mike. It needed to be said, needs to be repeated over and over like a chant. Time and experience has proven, over and over, that talk is cheap. Talk and rhetoric is for politics. To make changes, concerned citizens need to get involved. The community of West Seattle has done more for Nicklesville than any government agency has. I continue to be reminded of the kindness of strangers and the power of one and about random acts of kindness by reading about the ongoing efforts to help our neighbors in Nicklesville. We
teach out children about the power of one and that, "Many hands make light work" or "...it takes a village..." Helping Nicklesville and readi

Posted 4 months ago #
Garden_nymph
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Sorry, "smart phone" post above...
...and reading about all who do reminds me that there is good in the world and those lessons hold true.

Posted 4 months ago #
munchkin22
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Good on you garden nymph!!!!
Heading for the Sunday camp meeting when all residents are in attendance. We're overlooking politics and so are our friends. We donors are in this together for the homeless, not for the politics. We need to lift these people up and out of that mire.

Posted 4 months ago #
datamuse
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The firewood that I've been trying to get to them (ironically, delayed due to the weather) was delivered this morning. This is seasoned firewood from a delivery service--it's probably gotten wet due to the rain, but it'll burn cleaner and better than green wood by a long shot.

Posted 4 months ago #
adelle1016
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Thank you so much to those who just 'made it happen'. Seriously, some day I would love to have you at my house for a celebration of caring (Oh, and cocktails).

Posted 4 months ago #
JanS
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An invitation for Smitty to get involved. Maybe being up close to what NV is and what it needs will humble him a bit. And..he sounds able bodied...betting there's a bunch of things he can help with. That said, thank you to everyone who has volunteered and helped and will continue to step forward. This is a great community in so many ways. I know that first hand. I am constantly wishing I could do more, but circumstances prevent me from even going to the camp. Sigh. Again..stellar work for you guys who have kept the home fires burning, so to speak :)

Posted 4 months ago #
munchkin22
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Back from the Sunday meeting. We asked about nails in the wood and they would appreciate it if they were flattened when it comes in, but they definitely welcome that source of warmth.
Datamuse: Saw the wood you procured and it was covered and the residents were thrilled that they received it. We also thank you as it takes some of the pressure off of us in this nasty weather.
The tide appeared to be out tonight in camp, but I'm sure it will return with the rains. They've been busy pumping it out and spreading chips on the pathways. Didn't look too bad.

Posted 4 months ago #
Betty T
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Has anyone ever seen someone jump for joy over a roll of masking tape? I did today.

Posted 4 months ago #
munchkin22
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It's amazing all the little things we take for granted can bring such joy to some. Makes you really appreciate what you have and realize how blessed we are.

Posted 4 months ago #
Betty T
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New

As to the smoke from NV, some people have to find something to complain about and that's all they could come up with. I'm no where near there and we get some smoke in the air, fireplacess I'd guess. Some pay no attention to the no-burn notices.

Posted 4 months ago #