United States
Favourited 54 times
Hello! I live in Idaho City, which is in the Boise National Forest in southern Idaho. If you love mountains, pine trees, streams, wildlife, and the serenity of nature then this is where you want to be! And if that’s not enough, there is a hot springs spa 2 miles from my house. I moved here from Minnesota last September after my only child went away to college, and have been renovating the place ever since. Renovation help would be great as there is much left to do, but I could also really use: a) a volunteer to help with housecleaning and organization, b) someone for several computer-based projects, and/or c) someone with dog-training experience. Generally I am looking for volunteers to stay 1-3 weeks, but a longer stay is possible for someone with the right skill set. I have two puppies: my big, fluffy and loving bordoodle named Luna (born March 2019), and my small huskydoodle named Hagrid (born July 2019). They are sweet, loving and rambunctious, so volunteers should be dog lovers.
A little about me: Since high school I have worked as a technology teacher, art teacher, nanny, administrative assistant, and I also ran a bed and breakfast for several years. I would describe myself as an extroverted nerd who is also creative, friendly, and optimistic. In March I turned 57 and although that seems pretty old when I write it out here, I feel young on the inside and relate well to people of all ages. It could be due to my unsinkable sense of humor, or my puppies who make me smile throughout the day. I have several computer-based projects, so even if you want to stay indoors all day long and watch the snow fall from the comfort of your room, that works too!
Volunteers from everywhere are welcome, and I’d be happy to show you our little bit of Idaho paradise (I've got extra snow shoes and cross-country skis/poles (you would have to provide ski boots)). I love learning about how people in other parts of the world live, and have been fortunate to travel to Iceland, England, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Costa Rica, and Mexico. I’ve loved every one of those places, and it would be wonderful to make friends and have an opportunity to visit the volunteers who have helped me here, and maybe offer my own services in return.
If mountain living sounds appealing, please reach out. Cheers!
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Other
Help in the house
Animal care
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
Mountain life is peaceful and gorgeous and the people here are so friendly! If you love the outdoors, hiking, rock-hunting, mountain biking, fishing, snowshoeing and x-country skiing, etc., you will love Idaho City. It is a very small historic mining town (pop. approx. 450) 35 miles north of Boise, ID. My place is walking distance to the historic downtown, mountain trails, public library, ranger station, shops with antiques, collectibles, ice cream, groceries, and more! My 2 puppies are awesome, and if you are a dog lover you're welcome to play with them or take them for walks. We live a block from a beautiful mountain trail that you can hike or mountain-bike on in summer, and snowshoe or cross-country ski on in winter. I've got some extra snow shoes and cross-country skis/poles, though if you were going to ski you'd probably need boots (for SNS bindings). We do get a LOT of snow in winter!
Current projects include:
Winterizing: I need another set of hands to winterize the property, which would include clearing and covering a few things, and putting up some tarp to keep snow outside the covered porch (did I mention we get a lot of snow?).
Boardwalk: I will cut the wood, and you would help lay each piece down and attach to frame. No experience necessary, again I just need a couple of extra hands! My house is sort of an old-west style, with boardwalks under covered porches so you can access all parts of the house in winter (did I mention we get a lot of snow?).
Computer-based projects: 1) load music (approx. 100) cds to an external hard drive; 2) enter 2019 receipts into spreadsheet to prepare for next year's tax return (spreadsheet is created and has been started); 3) Internet research looking for activities in my area to add to the website (I have a 2-room inn); 4) creating Ebay listings for items to sell online (you would earn 50% of each net sale); and/or 5) some graphics work consisting of updating area maps of the town and surrounding trails.
Indoor renovation projects: build a shelf in the kitchen, install an interior door, lay a subfloor and linoleum in a bathroom, some small trimming, and a few other small projects. (Volunteer doesn't need lots of experience, mostly I just need another set of hands.)
I've got all necessary tools, but you should have your own work gloves, sturdy pair of shoes and snow boots (did I mention we get a lot of snow?) ;).
English
Volunteers are provided with a private bedroom (queen bed, smart tv, built-in usb ports, sitting area) and bathroom. There is wifi and a comfortable shared living area. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. I will provide food during your stay, but if you have a specialized diet I ask that you provide whatever you need for that. Sorry, no pets. I also ask volunteers to clean their room prior to leaving, leaving it in the same condition as they found it.
Volunteers can visit the beautiful Idaho City Hot Springs Spa, walk from our house to hike, ski, snowshoe, or bicycle, and visit the historic downtown that still looks like an old west mining town. There is a mining museum, a large old cemetery in the woods, a ranger station in town, plus several shops, restaurants and a coffee shop, and ice cream parlor. In warmer months I love digging up beautiful quartz, granite, gem stones, etc., and I even have a pan you can take to the stream to pan for gold! Also, Boise is 35 miles south of us, and with a population of 226,000, it has anything you'd look for in a bigger city.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
