I would be really cautious about recruiting people online here for something like this. Sure, GardenWeb is hardly Craigslist, but you're asking people you don't know to contact you so that you can tell them your address, and they'll know you'll be out of town for months, ie, the perfect opportunity to loot all of your belongings.

Sorry if I am being paranoid, but I have seen so many horror stories about this sort of thing.

thanks for your comments, and yes, that is why I did not post on Craigslist in fact. There is always a risk. We live in town, and it is in a very visible part of town close to the Police Station.
Appreciate your warnings though.
Have a lot of neighbors/family members close by.