United States
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Coronavirus update: Volunteers must answer a few questions regarding covid-19 and your general health (nothing specific or intrusive apart from covid-19). There is plenty of remote hiking and exploring in and around Idaho City. I will ask my volunteers to use the same safety precautions until spread of the virus is contained or a vaccine is available, which will include wearing a mask that you bring with you.
Hello! I live in Idaho City, a small historic mining town in the Boise National Forest in southern Idaho (34 miles north of Boise). If you love mountains, pine trees, streams, wildlife, rockhounding, 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 in September '18 after my only child went away to college, and have been renovating the place ever since. My primary need is for folks with carpentry/renovation skills. Generally I am looking for volunteers to stay 1-3 weeks, but a longer stay is definitely possible for someone with the right skillset. I have a 50-pound huskypoo named Hagrid (born July 2019). He is 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. I'm about to turn 58 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 puppy, who makes me smile throughout the day. I do have some issues with my arms, knees and back, which is why having a helper is such a blessing!
Volunteers from everywhere are welcome subject to current travel restrictions, and I’d be happy to show you our little bit of Idaho paradise!
If mountain living sounds appealing, please reach out. Cheers!
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Other
Help in the house
Animal care
Mountain life is peaceful and gorgeous and it is easy to maintain social distancing while enjoying the outdoors. If you love mountains and pine trees, 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 huskypoo puppy (born July 2019) is a sweetie, and if you are a dog lover you're welcome to play with him and/or take him for walks. We live a block from a beautiful mountain trail that follows a clear, fast-moving stream which is pretty isolated, especially on weekdays. .
Volunteers can visit area natural hot springs, walk from our house to hike or bicycle (you'd need your own bike), 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 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. A swimsuit and water shoes will be essential if you want to explore some of the natural hot springs located within an hour or so from town!
Current projects include:
Fencing: There are several repair projects involving the fencing around my property, including putting in some new posts and painting.
Indoor renovation projects: There are numerous indoor and outdoor renovation projects to work on which are mostly carpentry-related.
Landscaping: Planting, collecting and arranging rocks in the rock garden, cleanup, weeding and general yard maintenance.
I've got all necessary tools, but you should have your own work gloves and paint clothes.
English
Volunteers are provided with a private room (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. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided (apart from special dietary requirements). Sorry, no pets. I also ask volunteers to clean their room prior to leaving, leaving it in the same condition as they found it.
Note: T-Mobile is the only phone service that gets reception here, so if your phone is on a different network you'd need to plan to use a wifi-based app like WhatsApp to make phone calls. I've found that putting a phone in wifi calling mode takes up too much bandwidth, though you could use that if you only turn on wifi calling when you are making a call
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Two
Maximum 25 hours with 2 days off
