Jim Brown's journey from northern Illinois to Southern California began in 1984 when his employer sent him to the South Bay on a temporary two-month assignment. What was initially a short-term project has now turned into 40 years and counting.
In 2016, two years before Jim retired, his wife, Emi, began volunteering with the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) as a Garden Angel. Jim would occasionally assist as the "Arnold Schwarzenegger Angel," helping with heavy lifting tasks at local schools. His love for the work and the need for more volunteers made it natural for Jim to join the Garden Angels team after his retirement.
“I initially just helped during busy times, for major events or big projects, and then COVID-19 hit,” Jim said.
During the pandemic, the Garden Angels program was suspended, and Jim shifted his volunteer efforts to COVID-19 testing and vaccination centers. Though his time as a Garden Angel was brief before the pandemic, Jim learned the impact his and other volunteers’ efforts had on the children at the 11 elementary schools where they worked—eight in Redondo Beach and three in Hermosa Beach.
When the Garden Angels program resumed, Jim’s strength was more needed than ever.
“After months of neglect, the weeds were so tall we didn’t know where to start,” Jim recalled. He brought his hedge trimmer from home and started cutting down the overgrown weeds, allowing the team to begin restoring the gardens.
Laughing, Jim remembers, “The team started calling me ‘Crabgrass Terminator,’ because I took on the tough job of digging up the aggressive weeds.”
When asked what he enjoys most about being a Garden Angel, Jim said, “I love being outdoors, and I feel that the Garden Angels team plays a part in supporting teachers with health education for the kids. The children often peer through the fence, curious about what we’re doing.”
“We get questions like, ‘Why are you digging?’ or ‘What will the seeds grow into?’ Some of these children have never thought about where fruits and vegetables in the grocery store come from, and some have never even seen worms!”
The BCHD’s LiveWell Kids program, which includes the Garden Angels, was created in response to 2007 data showing a 20 percent obesity rate among elementary school children in Redondo Beach. Today, that rate has dropped by 75 percent.
Jim’s contributions have made a significant impact. Michelle Balzer, BCHD supervisor, said, “Ever since Jim joined the Garden Angels, he’s been consistently showing up three mornings a week, ready to tackle the hardest jobs with a smile. He always goes above and beyond for the program, often putting in extra hours on his own to finish tasks that require more attention. Jim’s work ethic is exceptional, and every job he does is done to perfection. We’re incredibly lucky to have him on the team.”
Offering advice to the Beach Cities community, Jim said, “We always need more volunteers, and I encourage anyone to consider signing up. The hours are flexible—you can volunteer as little as one hour a week or up to 10 hours! We have volunteers of all ages and personalities, and it’s a great mix. I love spending my retirement hiking, skiing, occasionally surfing, and now enjoying time with our grandchild. The flexibility of the Garden Angels program allows me to fit it all in!”
