The Horrors of Using Expensive Heating Fuel

windyhill4.2 wrote:Electric heat ? what is his normal monthly electric bill ? Most folks tend to forget that an electric bill includes ALL electric usage. If he is heating with electric,he has little to no maintenance,no heat loss thru a smoke stack.

He has money loss thru a wallet.

I have an indigent neighbor down the road, really nice guy, age 73. He'd been trying for the past four years I knew him to heat with just wood, meaning a LOT of work cutting, splitting, stacking, carrying for a gent whose knees are gone. I was helping him do a lot of the heavy work. This past fall I began looking into federal, state, and local govt agencies to help him get some heating assist. Every single one of them turned this guy down, because he was frugal enough to have saved a couple thousand to "bury me" as he jokingly says. He was definitely below the 150% poverty level. I got wind of St Vincent de Paul and a heating assist program they were affiliated with in the Upper Peninsula. Filled out the form, gathered all the documentation, and in 30 minutes had my neighbor approved for up to $3000 of heating assist. Got his first load of Nr1 FO in early January and filled up his two tanks. Got him a second fill just last week to last him the rest of the winter. Also got a call that they're bringing him 8 cord of logs for next year. The FO he had delivered was $2.80 a gallon, down from about $3.70 in the fall. Every time I go to check up on him he has this great grin on his face and he says "I'm not cold anymore when I get up at night!" The two loads of FO delivered added up to $1700.

Moral of the story: local, state and federal agencies were effing worthless in helping this man. A faith-based organization took care of him in a heartbeat.

Nice DH. I too have my buryin fund but keep it in the freezer. Real outstanding ya helped this guy out:)

Now that is what this forum is about!!! Helping others stay warm. All it takes is an interest in your fellow man.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, and your soul. Love your neighbor as yourself.

That is part of the problem. We are loving our neighbor as ourselves. If we don't like ourselves guess what happens with our neighbor.

Look around you and lend a hand. The people are there that you can help. He invested a few hours helping out this gentleman and it resulted in something that will make him smile for a long time.

May God Bless You And Yours DH.

Rev. Larry

Great job Dennis! Another outstanding member!

The toughest part for me (I spent 26 1/2 years in the Navy) was when he got his first fuel oil delivery in January. As the truck was pumping away, he stood there and cried. He hadn't had a fuel oil fill in 12 years, when he still was working. Even the truck driver remembered him and said "haven't been here since 2003." They didn't teach me how to handle that situation when I was a warrior for a living!! I'm now planning for next winter. The increase in social security (that's all this gent has) for 2015 put him at 149.61% of the poverty level, so just a hair beneath 150% to qualify. I'll make sure to get him filled up before next winter, and hope the minimum poverty levels adjust so that I can get him more fuel in early 2016. But if they deliver the 8 cord of logs, I'll help him cut/split/stack that so he has something to go into the winter of 2015-16 with! He's such a good guy. When we bought our house in 2010, and I wasn't living there full time (not until June 2013) he was the best "nosy" neighbor (1/4 mile away) you could ask for. He would call me when a strange car would pull into our driveway (my wife and daughter lived here for 3 years until I moved from the lower peninsula) to make sure it was OK. And, for a gent who has so little, if he had two nickels and you asked him for one, he'd give you two. So, I figure he's my mission in life now. If every person of a few means looked out for just one other person or family of very little means, we'd have a lot less social problems than we do now.

Dennis,

Thank you for your service.

If every person of a few means looked out for just one other person or family of very little means, we'd have a lot less social problems than we do now.

No one thinks like that anymore, and its a shame, maybe because they have to work so hard just to keep warm, not making excuses but society is headed in the wrong direction

Doby wrote: No one thinks like that anymore, and its a shame, maybe because they have to work so hard just to keep warm, not making excuses but society is headed in the wrong direction

Not all of it. Judging from recent posts on the board, I would say most members on this board go out of their way to help others. There is a similar portion of the population that fits that mold too. I think we get a lot more press about the bad apples and it sours our views.

coaledsweat wrote:

Doby wrote: No one thinks like that anymore, and its a shame, maybe because they have to work so hard just to keep warm, not making excuses but society is headed in the wrong direction

Not all of it. Judging from recent posts on the board, I would say most members on this board go out of their way to help others. There is a similar portion of the population that fits that mold too. I think we get a lot more press about the bad apples and it sours our views.

Yea I agree not here but, we are the exception, I don't pay much attention to what the press has to say this is what I see in the general public, its more than a few bad apples,its the general attitude of the public

Last winter (2013-2014) when the electricity rates sky-rocketed in New England (due to insufficient supplies of natural gas for generation), a friend who lives in a small apartment (800 square feet, 1 bedroom) with electric heat received a $600 electric bill two months in a row. Electric heat in Connecticut is absolute insanity.

Dennis, I would to thank and applauded you for your integrity. You have done a great service to this country and your neighbor.
This evening happened to go out for dinner with our neighbors. Great folks who bought this old 1800's farm house of almost 3000 sq ft about 5 yrs ago. I couldn't help but notice that during the past winter the fuel truck was there twice a month. During the course of our dinner conservation I politely inquired what they figured their winter fuel would be. The answer was about 5K. And that was keeping temps "real low". I responded by saying if not for coal my wife & I couldn't afford to keep the house. When I told them our heat & DHW cost about $1500.00 per year they were shocked. I didn't push the issue; but did tell them if they were ever interested in coal heat, just let me know. And I would help any way I could. Really hoping I get a call.
Rev Larry, I think ya really started something!!! And it's a real good thing.
Jim

YOU guys were the ones that started the Stove and Heat Ministry. I never even dreamed of doing this.

As I look at it in a way I never considered before, I discovered a couple of things about myself and others.

The biggest impact of Stove and Heat is that it WILL spread like your seeing. When you peruse CL or Ebay you will start to notice the small "weekender" stove that before you would have scrolled on by. Your mind will start to sharpen and you will mutter out loud..."Hmmm I wonder...." "It's only $100 bucks....Maybe with some cleanup and a couple of firebricks maybe Jim could use it..."

You have already been infected with helping your fellow man!!!

There is no antidote!!!

Wow ! What A Rocker Of A Thread ! Humanity,In My Feeble Eyes,Ebbs And Flows,and at Times,Slows To A Drip ! We All know that We have an Obligation To Conduct Our Affairs As Correctly As Possible In Order To Not End Up Needing Help......Sounds Good,Doesn't It ? How Many Times Does It Actually Work That Way Through The Course And Gift Of Having A Long Life? I've Always Said: "I'm Only As Good As The Guys I'm With ! "......Sorta' A Team Mentality.....You Guys Knock It Right Out Of The Park,And I Thank You All For That !!