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 walks 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 passing through.
"I come out here because I like to meet people," Jones explained. "I'm 84 years old and still pushing!"
He's out there so often, 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.
Jones has become a staple at the corner. Almost all the locals have seen him out.
"This is a friendly town. Everybody knows everybody," explained Darrel Acker. "It's real pleasant to see him and wave to him."
Jones says some of his favorite moments are when people buy him a slice of pizza or pop and sit with him for a bit. 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.
Jones 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."
