Tom is Shelter’s handyman extraordinaire. He’s always up for any task and can fix almost anything. Tom has been volunteering at the shelter since 1997 and has been coming consistently ever since. We’re grateful for Tom and his dedication to creating a comfortable and functional living space for survivors. We don’t know what we would do without Tom!
What do you do as a volunteer at New Beginnings and what do you like most? I am pretty handy with tools, so I fix things around the shelter and sometimes build things (like shelves, or maybe altering a room.)
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen at the shelter? The mix of people, including children and interesting staff.
What do you do when you’re not volunteering? I work for a Seattle mechanical contracting company (MacDonald Miller Facility Solutions) managing their fleet of over 300 vehicles. I also have a 21 foot sailboat and fly airplanes. I love to hike and be outdoors.
What do you know now about domestic violence that you didn’t know when you first started volunteering? I didn’t know that domestic violence was so prevalent and difficult to change.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Focus on what you can change and try not to worry about the rest.
Anything else you’d like to share with other volunteers? Congratulations, on helping make a better society in your own special ways.
