A father and his sons cut wood to fill 80 trucks. Then they brought it to homes that needed heat.

[FSogol]

Shane McDaniel posted photos on Facebook of him and his twin sons surrounded by enough chopped wood to fill 80 standard-size pickup trucks. They’d spent months chopping and stacking the firewood, valued at about $10,000. But they had no intention of selling it — they were giving it away to people in need.

“No one goes cold in our hood this holiday season,” McDaniel, 47, wrote in his post, offering to deliver wood, free of charge, to neighbors who needed a hand heating their homes near Lake Stevens, Wash., about 35 miles north of Seattle.

Within days, the post had spread not only in his Lake Stevens community but also to people across the country and even around the globe. Messages started flooding in — requests for firewood, offers of help, notes of thanks and even marriage proposals.

SNIP

Many recipients are effusive with tears and hugs and heartfelt gratitude, but Shane McDaniel said there are plenty who are not. “Some aren’t even friendly. It’s just not in them. They are mad at the world and mad that they had to ask for help,” he said. “They just have no other option than freezing.” He understands. He is not put off.

“Some still just say, ‘thanks … put it over there’ and walk back in their house and never say another word or even come back out,” he said. “But I’m okay with that. Giving is the reward — it has nothing to do with how well it’s received, but it’s about how much it’s needed.”

More by Caitlin Huson at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2018/12/21/father-his-sons-cut-wood-fill-trucks-then-they-brought-it-homes-that-needed-heat/?utm_term=.f41d35b27588&wpisrc=nl_optimist&wpmm=1

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. Wow. That's a hell of a lot of work.

A hell of a lot. That's the America I remember.

[FSogol]

2. Seriously. n/t

[Wounded Bear]

3. Even assuming they have a power splitter...

that's a ton of work.

Kudos to that family. Somebody got raised right.

[underpants]

4. Yes it is.

My stepfather (long time ago) bought 4 basically whole trees. I was chopping wood all summer and even listening to the 1985 NFC championship game in the radio in the snow after my freshman semester at college.

Great for them.

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. Those nice guys surely got muscles on top of their muscles.

Enough to fill 80 trucks...dang.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Your post just made me think of this-

Popeye muscles for that kind of work!

[Cracklin Charlie]

10. Funny.

That “muscles on top of his muscles “ was my daddy’s lines, and he LOVED Popeye!

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Popeye was a cartoon my Mom grew up with

(they ran them in the movies back then) and she would have been 88 this year! So needless to say, we had plenty of "Popeye spinach" in the house to eat!

[Blue Owl]

6. HARD work!

Props to those guys...

[FakeNoose]

8. Awesome story

He's teaching his sons the spirit of Christmas.

[dlk]

9. This Shows the True Meaning of Christmas

[nolabear]

11. Local news has followed him a bit. Good people!

[NoMoreRepugs]

12. Way better man than me. I could not have handled the

ungrateful peckerheads.

[FSogol]

13. Ungrateful peckerheads are more commonly called Republicans.

“Some aren’t even friendly. It’s just not in them. They are mad at the world and mad that they had to ask for help,”

[NoMoreRepugs]

20. Truedat.

[PatSeg]

15. I know what you mean

I was wondering if I could handle those who showed no gratitude. It would certainly be a challenge, but he is right, it is the "giving" that counts. Giving should be done without expectations or a need for acknowledgement. Easier said than done.

[allgood33]

16. Some people are just Trumpian to the core. Hats off to this servant leader. thumbs down to the

ungrateful.

[Girard442]

17. Filled up ONE truck with firewood a time or two and thought I was a badass.

[progressoid]

18. Wow!

[Demovictory9]

19. whoa! dad's arms

[akraven]

21. We are (both of us and kitty) in awe of this kindness.

Local prices for aged firewood (a must here) is $360 a cord. One cord barely fills a pickup bed. These folks are the BEST.

Crying again for hope! The kindness of humans is not dead!

[smirkymonkey]

22. Wow. What amazing people!

I am in awe of them. Even more so that they can gracefully handle such ingratitude in the face of their act of charity and kindness. I don't understand such people. Part of me would say just let them freeze. Anyway, I applaud these men for what they have done. They are examples of the best of humanity.