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There are some local residents for whom the Wheeling YMCA's Light of the Valley Award just makes sense due to their community involvement, philanthropic efforts and the time they've given to serving others. Dr. H. Lawrence Jones most certainly fits that bill.
On Wednesday, Jones, a longtime educator, public school administrator, community leader, philanthropist and one of the most pleasant people one could ever come across was honored as the 2024 Light of the Valley. In accepting the award, Jones joined a list of exceptional community leaders that have given of themselves to make life better for all in the greater Wheeling area.
A Warwood native, Jones credited his mother and father for instilling in him early on the values that led to a fulfilling life helping others, a life where service came before self.
"You do the right things for the right reasons," Jones said, recalling what his mother imparted to him, "and if someone notices, that's nice, but that's not why you do it."
His father taught him the importance of giving back. "When I was in grade school, my father took me aside to tell me he was going to give me an allowance, but the condition was that I had to give 10% of it away, and I had to tell him to whom I was giving it and why, and that was a conversation that he and I had for the rest of his life."
The YMCA is one of the organizations Jones honed in on early with his giving, as he spent Saturdays during his youth at the Warwood Y. That involvement continued during stints as president of the YMCA's board of directors and even as one of the initial YMCA board members to initiate the Light of the Valley program.
The last lesson he carries on from his parents is one of service. He recalled that as a child, as the family gathered for dinner, Jones had to recite one good deed he performed that day.
"There were many times I had nothing to say," Jones said. "(His father) responded on those occasions, 'OK, but now you will need two deeds for tomorrow.' To this day, I stop to think, what good deed have I done today? And am I going to need two for tomorrow?"
That service carried on to the nation, as Jones spent 33 years on active duty and reserve status before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army Military Police Corps.
There are few finer in our Ohio Valley than Dr. H. Lawrence Jones. His tireless efforts to serve others, to give back and to be a true light to others has, in fact, been noticed.