Jim Tripp

Jim was born and raised in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and has lived in Menomonie for the last 35 years.

He celebrated fifty years of marriage with his wife Sharon last summer, and they have two children and three grandchildren together. Jim and Sharon got married on the very day of the Watergate break-in, June 17, 1972 – they must’ve figured everyone was at their wedding.

Jim claims he has no hobbies, interests, talents, abilities, skills, or pastimes, which is why he chooses to keep working. But, since he says nobody wants to pay him anymore, he resorts to volunteering.

Jim likes to brag about the fact that his career in education spans fifty years, from 1966-2016. Jim worked for about 35 years in public secondary schools, ten years with a private training company, and five years of butting into other areas. He loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute.

Jim has volunteer experience as a driver for Meals on Wheels, an overnight attendant at a homeless shelter, a grunt with the local food pantry, a County Board member, a Housing Authority Commissioner, a Library System Trustee, and a board member for various state and regional professional organizations.

Jim says he volunteers with SMP because it satisfies a need that he has, “to stay active, learn something new, and feel useful. And what a wonderful opportunity it is proving to be!”