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Jim learned about Village Without Walls at a group meeting at a member’s house. He liked the idea of supporting people so they can age in their homes where most want to be. He has only one son and no grandchildren, so he understands the need for the non-family support of a village.
Jim loves helping people and started volunteering as a VWW handyman. He helps a group of members, who he has enjoyed getting to know, with home maintenance and repair projects. His volunteer work is greatly appreciated.
Jim was born and raised in the Los Angeles, California area. As an adult, Jim moved to the rural Junction City, Oregon area with his wife, but the marriage did not last. Then Jim moved around and was in the casino business for ten years. He was always an entrepreneur and spent many years living full time in an RV, traveling, and doing a variety of jobs.
In 2012, he wanted to settle down with his present housemate and looked for rentals west of Portland. They were in a cabin in the hills at first. Seven years ago, they found a small wood-heated house to rent on a 500-acre nut farm in the Cornelius area. They have a large vegetable garden behind the house. They are part of the Tualatin Valley Garden Club and sell some of their produce at the Hillsboro Farmers Market. Jim especially enjoys growing garlic.
Jim is an avid woodworker and likes to create décor and custom picture frames with old wood. When he was in California, he dismantled 100-year-old barns for the wood. He rents part of a barn where he lives for a woodshop. He makes arts and crafts in February and March, then travels to art and craft shows throughout the Northwest in the summer to sell his artisan creations.
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