RANSOMVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — One man in Niagara County has made it his mission to be a friendly face for others. Thomas Jones earned himself the nickname 'The Ransomville Greeter' because he's there to give you a wave or a smile as you drive by.
Almost every day, Jones makes the walk from his assisted living facility to the corner of Ransomville Road and Youngstown-Lockport Road. Once he's there, he sits on a bench, and waves at everyone who goes by.
"I come out here because I like to meet people," he explained. "I'm 84 years old and still pushing!"
He's out there so often, in fact, that he was even gifted a t-shirt reading "Official Ransomville Greeter." Jones grew up in Baltimore and hitchhiked across the country for years. He says he eventually found himself in Ransomville.
"Oh this is a nice community. It's really nice," he said of the Niagara County hamlet.
He's become a staple at the corner. Almost all the locals have seen him out.
"A lot of times honey," said Deborah Lutts, who drives through Ransomville often.
"This is a friendly town. Everybody knows everybody" explained Darrel Acker. "It's real pleasant to see him and wave to him."
Sometimes people will buy him a slice of pizza or a pop and sit and talk to him for a bit, and Thomas says those are some of his favorite moments. He also says he's almost always greeted with waves - unless people are having a bad day - and then he might see a different gesture. But he just laughs it off.
"It's not a whole lot of people who do it!" he said with a chuckle.
He says he plans to stay out and keep smiling, knowing he's bringing joy to others in the area.
"They really accepted me," he said. "And I feel great that people like me."
