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The ADVANCE, September 15, 2021/Page 11A
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Ms. Magnolia^
Letters have been edited for length and clarity.
Dear Ms. Magnolia,
Anyone who has kids understands
that life with children is a bit cha
otic. I am a mom with three small
children, ages 4 to 8. I have read ar
ticles and books and watched YouTube
videos, trying to get as much help as
1 can to guide my children, not order
them around or preach to them. But
calmly leading them isn’t always pos
sible when I’m trying to get the house
cleaned up and supper cooked while
they are running around making a lot
of noise. I would like to share what 1
have learned, though, with other moth
ers who might be in the same situation.
1 get so focused on the things that 1
need to do that 1 sometimes get impa
tient with my children. When I see my
self doing that, 1 take a deep breath, get
down on “child level” and call them to
me. Our catch phrase is, “Remember,
families work together. ” Then 1 ask for
suggestions about how we can get sup
per ready together. (I always focus on
just one thing at a time with them.) The
idea is to get each of them to suggest
one thing they can do - set the table,
put out napkins, take the bread to the
table, etc.
With a bit of practice, it usually
works wonders. They really want to
learn to do grownup things; they just
need guidance and patience to show
them how. It even works with grocery
shopping when I give each one a gro
cery aisle and an age-appropriate list
(with photos as well as words). It’s
amazing sometimes how helpful they
can really be at their ages when we fo
cus on one thing at a time (and how to
do it quietly and politely).
Mom
Dear Mom,
What wonderful insight! Thank
you for sharing.
If you have a question for Ms. Magnolia, please mail it to P.O. Box 669, Vidalia, GA
30475, or e-mail to msmagnoliaadvance@yahoo.com.
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FAVORITE ROLE — Beloved volunteer Johnny Jones of Lyons was well known for his por
trayal of Santa Claus at various community events. Above, he is shown with a child at
a His Works Ministries event, He also famously led the Christmas parade in Lyons each
year. Jones passed away September 7,
Jones
continued from page 1A
20 plus years ago to the
day I walked into Mr.
Johnny Jones’ repair shop
and introduced myself.
I was looking for some
gaskets and other parts to
help with a small engine
class I was attempting to
teach.
“(I was) a new teach
er with a little knowledge
but on that day a friend
ship was started that took
me and Johnny Jones on
a 20 plus year adventure
through the Future Farm
ers of America (FFA).
He helped me teach hun
dreds of students and
he traveled thousands of
miles with my students
and me over the years...
We shared many a hotel
room and late night con
versation. He went to bat
for our Ag Program many
times and even helped pay
my salary one year with
the help of other alumni
when the school system
cut our program.”
Montfort continued,
“He loved kids and help
ing them learn. I wit
nessed it many times. I’m
not sure it’s sunk in that
my friend has passed. It’s
all happened so quick.
However, I do know that
I learned a lot from my
friend Mr. Johnny over
the years, and I plan to
continue to give back just
as he has done because
that’s one way we can
carry his legacy on in this
community.
“Thank you, Mr.
Johnny, for all the memo
ries and the encourage
ment that you have given
me and my family over
the years. You have made
a positive difference in the
lives of many.”
Jones’ legacy is al
ready being evidenced in
the community he loved.
On Monday morning,
Toombs County Middle
School instructor and
FFA advisor Beth Gal
loway and a group of
students and FFA mem
bers in grades 6th-8th,
gathered at the gazebo in
downtown Lyons where
they began harvesting
canna lilies that will be
sold in the community.
The effort was part of a
service project being con
ducted as part of an FFA
Chapter Rally. Proceeds
from the sale will be do
nated in Jones’ honor to
the Georgia FFA Founda
tion.
Jones graduated from
Toombs County High
School in 1970, and was
recognized by his class
mates as being the “Most
Dependable” person with
in the graduating class. He
obtained an agricultural
mechanics degree from
Abraham Baldwin Agri
cultural College where he
not only actively partici
pated in the college’s Fu
ture Farmers of America
(FFA) program but won
numerous awards, includ
ing the American Farmer
Degree, which is the high
est obtainable degree
within the organization.
Jones served his coun
try through the National
Guard for four years and
the U.S. Navy for five
years. While in the Navy,
he worked as a machinist’s
mate aboard the USS Yo-
semite and the USS Sara
toga. Upon honorable
discharge from the Navy
after five years of service,
Jones returned to his
hometown to continue to
serve the community.
He was known
throughout the area as a
skilled mechanic, own
ing his own repair busi
ness for 35 years before
retirement. Also, he con
tinued to work in the
FFA field, serving as the
Charter President of the
Toombs County FFA
Alumni chapter, in addi
tion to serving on various
positions on the Georgia
and National FFA Alum
ni Councils, including
as Georgia FFA Alumni
Council President. For his
devotion and hard work
in the FFA community,
Jones was awarded the
Honorary American FFA
Degree.
Jones also served the
community in various
leadership roles including
the Toombs County Farm
Bureau Board, Toombs-
Montgomery Chamber
of Commerce Board of
Directors, Lyons Masonic
Lodge #49, Quint-Shrine
Club, and His Works Min
istries Board.
As a Georgia Agri-
Leader, Jones was able to
participate in a ceremony
to place a wreath at the
Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier in Washington
D.C., in 2009. His service
and success throughout
the community and na
tion was celebrated when
he was awarded the Lyons
Citizen of the Year award
in 2009.
ML H
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