“Keeping Up With The Joneses” By John Coleman
Paul Jones left Jamaica with twenty dollars in his pocket and a bicycle to live with his aunt. Susan came from a large farm in a small town in Ohio with a population of sixty-two.
How could a better selection be made than a young farm girl in nursing school who meets her husband while he is in medical school? A few years and four children later (Stephanie, Andrew, Nathan and Juno), they continue to work together as a volunteer nurse and physician at the Neighborhood Health Clinic.
Paul and Susan moved to Naples in 1990. Paul was a founder of Anchor Health Centers, serving as its President until 2002. He is a past Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the Naples Community Hospital, President-elect of the Medical Staff at Naples Community Hospital, and among other activities and multiple honors, is a past President of the Naples North Rotary Club. He currently has a concierge practice in Naples. Susan’s nursing career has involved oncology, medical/surgery, home health care and rehabilitation. She was recently named as an Honoree of the 2013 Women of Initiative.
What have the Jones done for the Neighborhood Health Clinic in view of all their other professional, charitable, volunteer and family activities? Dr. Jones is one of the original Neighborhood Health Clinic Steering Committee members and served as a Chairman of the Clinic’s Board. After helping the Lascheids launch the Neighborhood Health Clinic, both Paul and Susan continue to work together at the Clinic one night a month. Susan refers to it as “our date night.” She has chaired the Block Party for six out of nine years and chaired it again this year. She is the chair of The Guild’s events committee. The mission of The Guild is to raise friends and funds to support Neighborhood Health Clinic patient services.
In their “leisure time,” the Jones have created the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf in Jamaica, assisted in building a village for the unfortunate children and adults afflicted with hearing deficits and have raised funds for an asthma clinic.
In describing Susan and Paul Jones as “Vital Volunteers” in the context of their multi-faceted contributions to the less fortunate, a more appropriate characterization would be the “Super Vital Volunteers”. As Douglas MacArthur wistfully dreamed: “O Lord, build me a son …” Nancy and Dr. Lascheid probably dream: “O Lord, give us a few more vital volunteers just like Dr. Paul and Susan Jones”. Needless to say, keeping up with the Joneses is a herculean task for any volunteer.
Read Full Story Here – http://www.neighborhoodhealthclinic.org/2013/03/vital-volunteers-dr-paul-susan-jones/