Chizh for Cheii keeping homes warm: Loren Anthony says dilk’is challenging to find

WINDOW ROCK – Chizh for Cheii is continuing to help Diné homes stay warm this winter.

After 14 years, the Chizh for Cheii organization, which provides free firewood for older Diné men and women, continues to lead by example. Now, it’s collaborating with the Navajo Nation.

Seven trucks and a travel trailer were filled with firewood from one of the organization’s stockpile sites near Gallup on Feb. 8. The firewood was transported to Nakai Hall in Window Rock. At least 20 volunteers arrived that day to help with “Operation Winter Storm 2024.”

The operation started when Chizh for Cheii partnered with the Navajo Department of Emergency Management, the Navajo Police Department, the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration, the Navajo Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Navajo Nation Fire and Rescue Services.

‘Saving lives’

“We’re saving lives, and that’s the ultimate thing with implementing this plan within our Nation,” said the Chizh for Cheii founder Loren Anthony.

“It’s all about transparency and understanding one another (by) creating that safe space,” said Anthony, who believes the tribal government didn’t fulfill many of its promises to the Diné. And because of that, he put k’é into action and initiated his sobriety journey. About 90 percent of the Chizh for Cheii volunteers are either on a sobriety journey or started one.

After quitting his addiction and turning it into a healthy one, Anthony found confidence in delivering firewood to older Diné men and women across the Nation.

Coming from a place of murk and shadow, figuratively speaking, Anthony returned to his home on top of the Chuska Mountains to start his healing path to recovery and sobriety.

What started as a “drunk idea” in 2010 turned into a movement in 2013. Chizh for Cheii was up and running and gained recognition for supporting and providing older Diné men and women needing free firewood help.
“It’s a different feeling, and it’s something that brings back all those good feelings because I lost my grandparents,” said Anthony, who believes elders need to be protected.

Last year, 8,000 loads of firewood were distributed to Diné homes, which would not have been possible without the helping hands of volunteers. This year, Anthony hopes to distribute the same amount or even more.

Naat’áanii within hooghan

Cutting trees into firewood, loading, transporting, and unloading and reloading them takes time and energy.

“We’re going to make sure that we are all accountable––but to also create this healing process of fulfilling our word to the Navajo people and to do our best to make sure this firewood gets to those emergency needs in rural areas,” Anthony explained. “It’s all accountability because, within all of us, we are our own leaders in our own homes and in our communities.”

Anthony expresses that he is proud of the Chizh for Cheii team for stepping up and trekking through the journey of hard work, long hours, and overcoming emotional moments. And growing and believing in the movement to allow it to be what it is now.

Many of the Chizh for Cheii volunteers are Diné and come from communities such as Church Rock, Burnside, Lupton, and Shiprock, among others. Unsurprisingly, many do it out of the pureness of their heart.
“My involvement with Chizh for Cheii (is) working for the community to providing wood for the elders,” said Shylah James, a long-time volunteer and an environmental health specialist who has years of community -ed efforts in her field of work.

“It’s inspiring and helpful being involved and helping people is a really good feeling,” James said.

“When they hug you and thank you, that makes it all worthwhile,” said Shawn Curtis, a Navajo Police officer assigned to help with the Navajo Department of Emergency Management.

“Working along with Loren and how passionate he is like, ‘Wow, it’s off of one person doing everything for the community,” said Brad Nez, the logistic section deputy for the Navajo DEM. He was integrated from the Navajo Area Office, where he is the inventory management specialist for its emergency management department.

“It inspired me. I am here for the elderly, and I made a few deliveries myself,” Nez said. “They’re (elderly) so happy to see somebody pull up to their home, showing up with wood, food boxes, and water. Just seeing them happy is heartfelt.”

Náásgóó, dilk’is

Although it takes grit, grind, and sweat to ensure families receive loads of firewood, it takes gas to deliver over long hours.

According to Terry Keyanna, Anthony’s “right-hand man” and core member, who has been with the team since 2020, roughly 1,000 chainsaw chains throughout the years were “eaten” up by cedar and Juniper.
Anthony says cedar, Juniper, dilk’is are challenging to find. Families are happy with either, but they want dilk’is.

As for the lájish, the Chizh for Cheii team goes through many heavy-duty, durable work gloves because of the snow and rain. Anthony says waterproof gloves would benefit the Chizh for Cheii crew during cold temperatures when loading firewood.

“I wish I had a helicopter to just drop chizh (at homes),” Anthony said. “I use that as like a thing because your imagination is the reality of the future.”

Thinking down the road, Anthony hopes to expand enough to acquire a Chizh for Cheii headquarter office with a fleet of vehicles and trailers. This would create jobs and allow its volunteers to work with the Diné youth.

“Developing those more and having a substance abuse prevention initiative along with an addict support system within the program,” Anthony said.

This vision would enable people’s employability training to help them get back on their feet and expand this movement to other tribes nationwide. “We’re already getting word on other tribes wanting help from how to get things going (for them),” Anthony said.

“People think I am sitting on a pile of firewood waiting for their call,” Anthony said. He expresses that people do not see what happens behind the scenes, as there were times his team was on call 24/7 and had to make late-night trips to a home because a family ran out of firewood.

The cost of a truckload or “cord” varies throughout the Navajo Nation. Anthony said prices range from $60-$80 in Tuba City, $300-$400 in Flagstaff, and $120-$160 around the Gallup area.

“We are pretty much giving away a million dollars’ worth of firewood, and sometimes people do not want it and want cedar or juniper,” Anthony said.

He added that many people don’t understand the dedication and time to travel to certain sites to cut, load, and haul.

Chizh for Cheii will continue to ensure elders and families are warm because “if we are cold, our elders are cold. Therefore, we have to keep the fire lit,” Anthony added.

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