SERVING THE WATERFRONT COMMUNITIES OF SOUTHWEST AND NAVY YARD

By Mike Goodman

As the country looks forward to celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – a day of service and “a day on, not a day off” – The Southwester sat down with one of our own community’s volunteer leaders, Thelma D. Jones. Jones was recently honored for her lifetime commitment to volunteer work, receiving the President Joseph R. Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, commemorating over 4,000 community service hours. The President’s Volunteer Service Award, established in 2003 and led by AmeriCorps, recognizes the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity, and honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities throughout the country. There will be a reception honoring Jones on Saturday, Jan. 13 at Westminster Church (400 I Street, SW), hosted by the Board of Directors of the Thelma D. Jones Breast Cancer Fund (TDJBCF). All are welcome to attend.

Jones is known throughout the community for her work providing food to those in need, her founding of the Southwest-based TDJBCF, and her volunteer work with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA), St. Augustine’s and Westminster Churches, and Southwest DC Action. The Southwester sat down with Jones to catch up on her latest efforts, ask her about the award, and get her thoughts about our community. The following are excerpts from that interview: