Page 269 - lake-city-florida-a-sesquicentennial-tribute-(h-morris-williams-kevin-mccarthy)-2009

Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Chapter Twenty: 2000 - 2009

Columbia High School

The CHS Quarterback Club dedicated the 2008 football
program to the late Bill and Thedis Jones for their lifelong
volunteerism to the young people of our community. Here are just a
few things they did to merit this high honor: For some 30 years they

were actively involved in scouting and promoting the scout camps at
Camp O’Leno. From 1962-1970, they sponsored the VFW youth
dances every weekend, which provided live bands and a wholesome
place for teens to gather. At Kiddieland Day Care, they started the
Christmas Light Show, a spectacular 15,000-light display that required
months of preparation and thrilled many hundreds of small children
for more than 20 Christmas seasons. They provided long-term support
for the Boys’ Club, Babe Ruth Baseball, the CHS Pep Club, and the
Tri-Hi-Y. They entertained thousands of youngsters over the years as
Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in the annual Christmas parade.

Bill and Thedis’s three adult children were justly proud of
their parents’ lifetime of service to our community youth, and they

wanted this legacy of service to continue. To accomplish this, they
donated $30,000 to CHS for the building of a modern, multi-purpose,
all-sports athletic fieldhouse that students can use for many years into
the future. So, along with paying tribute to Bill and Thedis, the QB
club honored them, too: Jim and Linda Stockton, Emory and Nancy
Blanton, and Bill and Sharon Jones. The plaque on the outside
wall at the beautiful fieldhouse
(see photo to the left) reads: “The
Jones Field House was dedicated
on October 19, 2007 in honor of
Bill and Thedis Jones for their
lifelong support of and dedication
to the children of Columbia
County.”

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