Spirit of Community: Jim Wilde

“Why not?”

That’s the attitude of lifelong Seymour resident Jim Wilde.

His can-do and will-do attitude has led him to help bring important groups and projects to Seymour.

Of all the work Wilde has done, however, he has not received any money. It was all volunteer work.

Wilde, 75, was recently nominated by his family and chosen as the Spirit of Community award winner for the Spirit of Freedom Awards from The Tribune.

“I’d rather give recognition than accept it,” Wilde said. “The glory is in the town and what we get accomplished.”

One of Wilde’s projects began following the Christmas Day 1999 fire at The Centennial Hotel, formerly known as The Walton Hotel.

Anchor House, the county’s shelter for homeless families on Vine Street in Seymour, had been closed for a lack of money. When the fire left 17 people homeless, Wilde met with owner Marina Gill and sprang into action to reopen the shelter.

“I met with the owner and she was crying and she asked me, ‘what am I going to do?’” Wilde said.

Wilde said he asked then-mayor John Burkhart to open the shelter for those displaced from the fire, and he approved.

That gave them a place to stay for shelter, counseling, food and clothes until they could find employment and a place to live, Wilde added.

“The town opened up their hearts and gave food galore to help,” Wilde said. “I was there almost day and night and I was on call constantly.”

Wilde’s next two projects involved two city parks.

Wilde remembers the days when families would go to Shields Park for picnics, reunions, swimming and even music on one of the two bandstands. Over time, one of the bandstands burned while the other was deteriorating.

Wilde helped organize a group to find space in the park to build a brick bandstand.

“It sparked me to say, ‘Why not?’ Let’s see how it goes, and let’s start it again,” Wilde said of getting approval to rebuild the bandstand. “Get people out of the house, and take them to the park in the shade and breeze. I sure missed the parks.”

The other project took place not long after the Shields Park project when Wilde was asked to serve on a committee as treasurer to help develop a veterans war memorial in Seymour. The group was interested in Gaiser Park.

Wilde, a Korean War veteran, then approached the Seymour Park and Recreation Department about space on the northwest corner of Gaiser. The board approved the idea that same day, he said.

“It took somebody to say ‘let’s do it,’” Wilde said of the project. “It’s something the city should be proud of.”

Wilde said the design was given to Fewell Monument Company of Scottsburg, and it produced the pure black granite and white stone monument. The monument was put together piece by piece, and it was brought in by crane. Wilde was fascinated by how the base of the monument was lifted onto ice cubes, and as the ice melted, it was set into place.

“It was amazing how easy it was to move,” Wilde said.

Bricks were sold and donations were given from people inside and outside Indiana to fund the $130,000 monument. Wilde said there are about 2,600 names on the monument. Visitors can find a veteran’s brick or name easily with the alphabetized 47-page book in a mailbox at the monument that tells the coordinates of the brick.

“I’m not going to quit (this project). It’s an ongoing thing,” Wilde said.

Wilde has been chairman of the Seymour Class of 1949 reunion committee for about 20 years, and he was elected to the office as chairman of human concerns at Immanuel Lutheran Church as well.

“I made it a point to help people and these were my people,” Wilde said. “I have a lot of friends in this town and I can’t deny any of them.”

In his position, Wilde was given a set amount in the church budget to help people who needed medicine or food. He would take them to the grocery store if necessary.

“I was living it 24 hours a day,” Wilde said of helping people. “If I couldn’t help you or this community, then I had no right to be in it. I love what I do. I’m not a counselor or a therapist. I’m a human being that cares.”

In 1976, he also organized a men’s chorus at the church, which he was involved with for 25 years. Wilde said he quit that three years ago, but wants to get back into it in the fall. The chorus started with four men and has about 25 now. They sing once a month at different churches in the county from September to April.

“It’s time to go back to sing,” Wilde said. “I love being with those guys.”

He also created a local barbershop quartet, the Mello Tones, which has been singing year-round for about eight years.

Wilde’s most recent and ongoing project is creating a museum for Seymour.

Mayor Jim Bullard called Wilde two years ago saying he would like to have a museum.

A committee was formed to develop all the needs for the museum, and Wilde hopes within the next month or so the former police department building will be approved as the site of the museum.

He said since the building is a historical building, it can’t be torn down so it will have to be gutted. Wilde said the project will need a lot of volunteers, but the committee is already doing fundraisers.

“That’s the best (committee) I’ve seen in my life,” Wilde said. “(The museum) is our dream.”

His wife, Jan, is retired from the Lutheran Community Nursing Home, and they have two sons, Don and Dick Wilde, and one daughter, Jerri Duchaine.

In their nomination letter, Wilde’s family said, “(Jim) is known by many in Seymour and the surrounding area for his cheerful personality, sense of humor, love of family, music and his great enthusiasm for the numerous activities, groups and projects he has been involved with over the past several years.

“He loves our city and community and it shows.”

Wilde retired in 1960 from a plumbing and heating store but took over his father’s business in 1970. He’s done bookkeeping and accounting work all his life. But it’s the many hours of volunteer work for which he has not received a dime.

“I’ve seen this town grow from the 1930s,” Wilde said. “I’ve seen it prosper and I’ve seen some of it go, but I want to keep this town. This is a good town and there’s nothing wrong with it. I can’t stress enough how much I love this town.”

Wilde gave some positive words of advice for the people of Seymour.

“Seymour is my town and Seymour should be your town,” Wilde said. “It’s growing, so keep supporting it. Make it your town. Be proud of it. I am.

“Let’s use it. Why not?”