The Story behind Close-Knit for Life!
Wondering how Close-Knit for Life came about and who its founder is? It always helps to know the "Who-What-Why-When and Where," right? This page will fill you in...
Read below to learn more...
The Origins of Close-Knit for Life:
The people and story behind this important initiative
Retired professor and nature center founder, Jack Wills, and founder of a 501-c-3 wildlife refuge and sanctuary for people in crisis, Wren Owens, loved and learned together beautifully, and despite their twenty-one-year age difference. With their shared love of nature, animals and all the living, they experienced a complex, tenacious, challenging, frustrating, exciting, even transformative eighteen years of what grew to be absolute, unconditional love.
The Journey to Now, and Our Mission
Retired biology professor and nature center founder, Jack Wills, and artist/entrepreneur, Wren Owens, moved from rural NY to a peaceful lake community in PA mid-December of 2018 excited to begin a more simple, relaxing life during Jack's "twilight years." At 75 in 2018, his knees were not what they used to be and working a 501-c-3 wildlife sanctuary as well as an alpaca farm with Wren had become too physically difficult, and good, reliable help for the farm was hard to find. Jack's remaining as active as possible was important to both of them. Wren bought a home in PA and invited Jack to join her.
Unfortunately, Christmas day Jack twisted his knee and landed in the local hospital with "a hairline fracture of the left tibia." During the nine months of all efforts to get out of "the system," the pair continued to employ the use of The Close-Knit Carebook™ Wren created back in 2014 to help with the on-again-off-again caregiving needs Jack had.
Business Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Saturday
Appointments only
Sunday
Closed