Cheap Thrills: Wood That Warms Twice

Correction 4/8/09: Juliua Stroup informs me that she does not have 20 cords of woods available at this time. She is dedicated to providing warmth to those in need. What she needs most at this time is help from people willing to load, split and stack wood so it can season for next year. CTH

Although a hint of spring is in the air. Nights are still chilly here in Kitsap County. South Kitsap resident Juliua Stroup wants to do something about it for those who are struggling with heating bills or otherwise in need of fuel. Stroup left her IT job in Keyport last June to start a full-time nonprofit Christian wood provision program called “A Gift Of Warmth.”

Her organization locates wood from various sources, picks it up, processes it and stores it until it’s ready to burn.

Stroup has found plenty of wood and has probably about 20 cords so far that are ready to use, but she needs help loading and unloading her truck. And she needs help splitting and stacking additional wood coming in so it can season for next winter.

“Through this process I’ve injured my elbow tendons and would need help loading and unloading my truck,” she said. “We have wood being volunteered from all directions but I am but one person. … We could have so much more available for next winter if I could recruit some helpers.”

If you’ve ever chopped wood, even on a subzero day, you’ll get my reference to the “wood that warms twice.”

To help or if you need help, call Stroup at (360) 895-1482 or cell (360) 440-2587.

Here’s the thread of an e-mail exchange between Stroup and Baker forwarded to me from Sally Santana.

“Major Baker,
My name is Juliua Stroup and I reside in SW Port Orchard. I left my 18 year IT contractor position at NUWC Keyport last June to start a full-time non-profit Christian wood provision program called “A Gift Of Warmth.”

I provide clean dry wood for those in emergency need who have an accredited wood stove as a heat source. Next winter I will register with various Kitsap County organization and churches who may come in contact with residents who for unknown reasons cannot afford to purchase wood to heat their homes and has become an emergent need. My organization locates wood from various sources, picks it up, processes it and stores it until it’s ready to burn (cedar kindling also) and then will deliver 1/2 cord per year.

Since this is my first year working full-time on this I don’t have as much “ready” wood as I’d like, but I do have some (at least 20 cord at this time, with possible availability from others in the community).

I can be reached at 360-895-1482 or cell 360-440-2587. I am usually working on some stage of this process so please leave me a message on the 360-895-1482 number as I will be checking it.

Dear Juliua,
PRAISE THE LORD! Yours is exactly the kind of resource I have been wanting to create for years! We do have clients every winter who come to us asking for wood. I also have a source of wood for you who has lots of downed trees that they want to get off their property.

Dear Major Baker,
There are too many wood resources here in Kitsap County to allow anyone to go cold so please let me know if I can help. Through this process I’ve injured my elbow tendons and would need help loading and unloading my truck. We have wood being volunteered from all directions but I am but one person. I have probably 20 cords so far split and stacked, but we could have so much more available for next winter if I could recruit some helpers. -Juliua”

One thought on “Cheap Thrills: Wood That Warms Twice

  1. Juliua,
    This is such a blessing to the people in our surrounding communities. Please contact me to help where you need me. May God continue to bless A Gift of Warmth ministries.

    Jeff Kehring

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