Help Jim Walter Rebuild his home

Photo of Jim and me in happier days at Sushi RED, one of the best sushi restaurants in Madison where Jim, of course, ordered a cheeseburger (he says it was the best cheeseburger he’s ever had).

Hi, I’m Tracey Rosenfeld, and Jim and I have been friends for the past eleven years while he and I worked together at Woodward Camp in Pennsylvania. In his own endearing way he’s become part of my family.

It’s said that no good deed goes unpunished. That’s the position that Jim finds himself in now. I have started a GoFundMe Page for Jim who needs our urgent help. Some of you know Jim as the Old Guy at the Lodge at Woodward Camp. Some of you are friends from his days at People Magazine/Time Inc., and many of you are friends from his “growing up” days in Ashland.

You may or may not know that on the morning of August 2, 2021 while Jim was working at Woodward, one of his Florida neighbors, with Jim’s permission, parked his jeep in Jim’s driveway while the neighbor was having some work done at his home. As the neighbor parked his jeep under Jim’s carport the motor in the jeep exploded. Fortunately the neighbor was uninjured. Unfortunately the resulting fire burned into the eves of Jim’s home and destroyed the interior of his house.

Without going into the complicated intricacies of Jim’s dealings with his homeowner’s insurance and his neighbor’s auto policy, bottom line right now is that Jim is in a desperate financial position. Jim is paying out-of-pocket for temporary housing for himself and his invalid sister, Jean, for whom he’s been caretaker for the past 16 years.

It has recently come to my attention that Jim’s insurance will only cover a portion of his current mortgage and some of the contents in his home. In addition to an immediate temporary housing financial need fund, Jim will need finances to demolish and rebuild his current home. He has found a temporary home that is costing an additional $1,650.00 per month on top of his current mortgage he is still paying for a house that is no longer livable. With your help, we can help Jim with temporary housing, help take down the unlivable condemned current home, and make a downpayment on a new home and mortgage.

You can donate through GoFundMe or if you would rather send a check, you can send a check payable to Saint Hilary’s Episcopal Church, making sure to Add “JW Fire Fund” in the memo line. Mail to: Saint Hilary’s Episcopal Church, 5011 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL 33901.