An eye-opening volunteer experience a year ago led Dean Howell to assemble an entire crew of volunteers to spend a day cutting wood last week.

As a friend of Richard Reeves, who volunteers full-time with Mountain Projects cutting wood to help those in need stay warm during the winter, Howell offered to help him out last year.

After seeing the need, he decided he could do more. On Saturday, Howell, a sales manager at Taylor Motor Co., said assembled a group of coworkers, neighbors on Jonathan Creek and friends to spend the day at the wood pile.

The crew of about 20 not only volunteered their time, but paid $50 for the honor.

Several companies such as Old Town Bank and Clark & Leatherwood made donations as well, bringing the total cash donations up to $1,400.

Howell estimated the group split ...