While driving up I thought of our first deployment of 2015 to Monterrey Tenn. That week we were snowed out for a day and that night it dipped down to 8 degrees. We started cutting cutting the next morning at 18 degrees. Now we are going to cut for 3 days in temperatures of 96 - 97 degrees. I guess this showed we are willing to go and do what we can to share Christ's love for those needing our help.
We met with our host pastor and friend Randy Burbank of First United Methodist Church of Sheffield at 8:00 to convoy to River Bluff Drive. So we headed off with Rev. Randy, Rev Ed Brasher, Bob Suellentrop, David Moser, Tim Smith, and myself and 2 skid steers.
We arrived at the work sites around 9:00 and surveyed the 4 ROE's that we have signed and began work at 810 River Bluff Drive. This property has a spacious lot with many trees down. So we chose it first because we could use the 2 skids and keep our 3 cutters together. We worked most of the day here before moving across the street to 807.
807 had 2 huge Oak trees down so we started sectioning the first tree until the afternoon showers came. We were all worn out and dehydrated so we called it around 3:30 and declared Monday done.
This trip out we were blessed with the luxury of staying in the Coldwater Inn in Tuscumbia. After a dunk into the pool and a shower we ate at a local spot next to Clear creek park. After some time of fellowship we returned back to the hotel to catch up on email and the news of the day.
Tuesday started with breakfast at 6:00 at the hotel and meeting with Rev Randy at 7:00 in the parking lot of his church. We resumed work at 807 removing 20' of chain link fence to gain access into the back yard to remove an Oak of about 30" in diameter. With one skid and 3 saws we had completed the task shortly after lunch and returned back across the street to 810 to finish felling two huge pines that were twisted off 20' above the ground and to remove the rest of the debrief. The heat had taken a toll by 2:30 so we called it a day and back to the pool and showers.
Tuesday night we were blessed to eat at Randy's church prepared by his members and the mayors wife. The mayor sat at our table and engaged in conversation expressing his gratitude for helping the residents of Sheffield. He had assigned us a team of trucks to haul the debrief away almost as fast as we could get it to the street. On Monday and Tuesday they hauled about 12 loads for us.
Wednesday was the same 6:00 AM call and report to the church at 7:00. I should say on Monday we had 2 skids and Tuesday we had 1 skid and Wednesday we just had 3 cutters and Rev Randy which worked with us all 3 days. We saved 822 River Bluff Drive because it was all in the back yard down the side of a bluff overlooking the Tenn, River. Beautiful sight but terrible place for a chainsaw. We pulled down a 30' widow maker and let it slide down the slop and dropped two 32" Oaks that had been twisted off one 25' and the other 15' up. We also section one large limb lying on the patio and loaded it in the truck and carried it to the street.
After 2 hard day and 3 hours of hard cutting on Wednesday we called it a successful trip and packed up and headed home. It was a rough 3 days but it was also a very rewarding time. We hope to see more of our members on the next outing and to Bob and Ray "GET WELL SOON".
To God be all the glory
Buddy Williams
