Volunteers of all ages showed up at eight a.m. at the First Methodist Church Young Center Saturday morning. In addition to donuts, orange juice, coffee and fruit, they received instruction in basic caulking, plastic for windows and using a heavy duty staple gun. Then they were ready to apply what they had learned to twelve Hickman County homes. 

Leaders Tom and Cherry Pyron handed out work assignments and instructions on what was needed at each home. Then the teams were off. They spread out to work on houses from north Clinton to outside Fulgham. 

It was the first Saturday of Caulking the County, a local effort to winterize residents’ homes without charge for labor and materials. The effort is funded by a grant from Clinton First United Methodist Church and Fulton Hickman R. E. C.C.  Over the past several weeks, local residents were asked to fill out a simple form requesting assistance. Twenty eight residents signed up. 

Three students at Hickman County High School, Allison Lenox, Candice Jones and Gary Roper, members of the Military Club worked with Army Sergeant Ford and Marine Sergeant Swanner, and local postmaster Karl Buss.

Other participants included Debbie Weatherford of the RECC, Nancy Thomas, Phillip McClure, Amy Harper-Hogancamp and daughter Kate, Devin Pittman and daughter Mattie, Charles Gholson, and Mary Potter.

The rewards of caulk and plastic will be seen in this winter’s heating bills. 

Heating and cooling a home is half of the energy costs. Simple caulking and plastic over drafty windows, weather stripping and draft stoppers on doors, can save 30% of energy costs. That can add up to big savings for residents. Caulking the County’s goal this year is to reduce recipients’ heating bills by a modest ten percent this winter. 

Caulking the County is not over. Fifteen homes still need to be winterized. Two other homes were begun but not completed. 

Vounteers need only show up. Training will be offered next week at 8 a.m. All tools and materials are supplied. Volunteers for the first Caulking the County ranged in age from preschool to senior citizens. More teams are needed to finish the remaining homes. 

Anyone who has a heart to help is encouraged to the Young Center Saturday morning, the 29^th. Most work will be finished by early afternoon. 

In case of rain, work will be rescheduled to the next Saturday.