AGAWAM – With high wind chills and below-freezing temperatures, Maria and Michael Vickers wanted to do their part in making sure at least one family in need could stay warm.

Since the 1970s, more and more Massachusetts households have been shifting away from using oil to heat their homes due to expensive costs. According to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), more than half of the state’s households are now using gas. The DOER estimates the average heating expenses for residential customers for the 2017/18 winter to be $847 for natural gas and $2,278 for oil.

The Vickers family is no stranger to the oil business. Michael’s father started Vickers Oil in West Springfield over 30 years ago. After his father recently announced his retirement, the West Side native has been slowly taking over the company, according to Maria Vickers.

The married couple said they were shocked with the unforgiving temperatures that took over New England in early January, and know how important it is to have access to oil during these colder months.  

“We know what it’s like to be cold, and it’s not fun,” said Maria. “If you don’t have oil, not only can your pipes freeze but you can’t heat your house– and that can create a bigger problem.”

Maria said her husband was delivering oil after hours on Jan. 6 – which had a temperature low of -2 degrees Fahrenheit – when he made the decision to donate 100 gallons of oil for free to a family or person in need.

“My husband is such a passionate man,” said Maria. “After delivering oil after hours that day he called me and said, ‘there are so many people without oil and don’t have money to fill their tank – I want to do something about it.’”

Later that evening, Michael asked Maria to post an advertisement for the donation in the “Agawam, MA Forum” on Facebook, which is an open forum designed to connect residents in Agawam. Maria said a majority of Vickers Oil customers participate in the forum.

Maria posted this message into the forum:

“Good afternoon friends with all this cold weather going on my husband who runs Vickers oil out of West Springfield and myself would love to give away one family who’s in need a hundred gallons of oil for free!!! That’s right, 100 gallons for free to a family in need. Please comment here and tell us your story and why you feel we should bring you the oil!!! We would really just like to donate a hundred gallons with all this cold weather going on and all of your great support in this forum for our oil company.”

Within hours, the post received 58 comments and over 200 likes.

Maria said the decision was a hard one to make, but ultimately let her 14-year old stepdaughter make the final call.

The next day, Agawam native Kimberly Hathorne received her 100 gallons of free oil.

“I was actually kind of shocked,” said Hathorne. “I wasn’t expecting to get it because I know there are a lot of people that could use the gift just as much as me.”

The single-mother of two said she has been struggling to pay rent ever since her husband passed away in November. Hathorne works as a part-time bus driver for the Hampden Charter School of Science, and said the donation came just in time.

“I can heat my house – 100 gallons keeps your house warm for a couple of extra weeks,” she said. “I would’ve been out of oil and trying to figure out how I can heat my house otherwise.”

The donation is worth around $280 of oil.

Maria said her husband is considering doing another giveaway next year.