Fernandina fun for the Jones Dozen Family

 Submitted by Sandra Baker-Hinton
June 8, 2014 1:00 a.m.

“A huge thank you to all the people who helped bring the Jones Dozen Family to Fernandina Beach/ Amelia Island for their first ever “Family Beach Vacation.”

Facebook: a waste of time? Can be. Facebook: addictive? Sometimes. However, I found that it can be used for good, and if used wisely it can aid in accomplishing great things, especially when coupled with a town filled with good hearted people like there are here in Fernandina Beach/Amelia Island.

Back in November I threw out an idea to a Facebook Group to which I belonged called Amelia Island Fernandina Beach Network. The idea had to do with a family up in Tennessee which I had been following the past year. Susan Davidson Drake, who used to babysit for me and attended the same church, found me on Facebook. I became interested in following the adventures of her daughters, one a missionary in South Africa, the other who had, along with her husband, just adopted 8 children from Sierra Leone in March of 2013. Haley and Mike at the ripe old age of 31 and 34 had taken on a huge responsibility since they already had 2 children. They nicknamed themselves The Jones Dozen.

I asked Susan, their Mimi, what the story was behind such an amazing act. This was the story as Susan, Hayley’s mom, told it to me: “Hayley, a former teacher, had a little girl in her Kindergarten class adopted from Sierra Leone. She became friends with the girl’s mother, who actually had founded and supports a small orphanage in Sierra Leone. After hearing about 8 orphans, all siblings, who would probably never be adopted because they wanted to stay together, Hayley and Mike’s heart broke for them….thus beginning their long journey to get these children out and give them a good home. Needless to say they spent much money over the three years it took to do the adoption, They obviously are not well-to-do young adults, but approached this with great faith that God would help them accomplish this mission. They live a simple lifestyle and are totally happy with it.

Most everything (clothes, shoes, etc) come from second hand shops. Feeding this crew is their biggest expense. They did for the first time have a garden last year and all the kids helped tend it. Of course there are many generous people who upon hearing about them, contribute in various ways that help out so much. It is such a blessing to watch God’s hand as he provides for their sweet, LARGE family. They have a Facebook blog, ‘The Jones Dozen’ where you may want to follow to keep up with all their wild and crazy happenings!”

They were just this week featured in a United Kingdom feature which can be viewed at Meet-Jones-Dozen-Tennessee-couple-Brangelina-world-record-adoption which tells their story and lets you get to know the family better.

At the beginning of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Season, when most of get into a spirit of giving, I began posting their story and adventures on the Amelia Island Fernandina Beach Group’s Facebook Page, their tales of excitement at all their “first” experiences in their new country. One evening on impulse, I wrote a note and stated that I had a great Idea, “wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to bring this family down for a first family beach vacation, because it would not be anything they could ever afford to do”. I was surprised by the huge outpouring of people who were saying, “You can count on me to help if you do this.” I made a long list of people who said they were “in” and the offers they made on what they would do.

Time passed and I kept posting items on the local Amelia Island Fernandina Beach Group’s page when interesting things were posted on their Jones Dozen home page or their grandmother posted note worthy events: First Christmas, winning an award with a speech on “courage” by one of the boys, playing soccer, updates when one of the middle boys had to have some major surgery, and so the months flew by and “it was time” if we really wanted to do this to start planning.

I knew I had to have some help in putting together the plan, a bit much for one person to do alone. I invited a friend with a kind heart to help me get the project together. Her name is Amy Wade, AKA on Facebook Page as “Beach Junki”. We have a lot in common, especially our love of the beach and the critters we find there. When asked, without a second’s hesitation, she jumped in whole heartedly to help with the project. Two other people, David Neilson and Peggy Weinsier, who were especially interested as the project took shape, were added to form a small informal committee to look over my shoulder, offer suggestions, and give some helping hands and legs to help pull this all off.

The most important part of the plan was to find a place to stay with beachfront access. It would be no fun to load up 12 sandy, wet people every day a couple of times a day to get to the beach. I put out a request on the Facebook Page for someone who had a beachfront house, but got no response. Amy Wade had a friend, also named Amy (Bovil), who caretakes a beachfront house on the North end of the island. It was perfect, not fancy, but colorful, and homey which was more important for this family than plush. It would comfortably sleep 15. It belonged to a very nice man who lives in Orlando, whose name is Samir. The two Amys felt that he could only say “no” and got the courage up to ask. Samir did indeed say “yes”. The name of his house is Samiracles and that was how we saw it as, a miracle. It was not free but affordable. It was a project that was launched on faith in the goodness of our fellow islanders, and each time we needed money it just showed up from first one person and then another.

We created a schedule of possible dates taking into consideration what worked for both Samir and the Jones Dozen. As it turned out the family choose the earliest date, June 8 through 14th, which meant we really had to get to work fast on organizing this whole thing to pull it together. Once the date was confirmed I set out contacting each person who had told me way back before Christmas that they would help, tellin them that it was “time”. Offers were made, money was donated, and with a bank account in which people could donate, we were off and running. Scheduling all the meals and activities that were donated was a major part and coordinating the logistics of it all and a major part of making it work. Messages flew back and forth through the a’Private Messaginga’ system with Facebook and “Shouts” were posted thanking people for what they were donating, and giving all the businesses a big plug. In the end with the help of a few individuals as well as island businesses, and one church all our needs were met and we were ready to greet the family on the evening of June 8th.

In the end at least 20 individuals had given cash or gift cards along with others who left money in tip jars we placed around town, even a lady who happened to be on the river cruise with us donated enough money to send them travel money home. At least 15 people did things like furnish a meal, supply filtered water for the week, baked cookies, brought home made jellies, fresh farm eggs, fruit for the week, a shopping spree for the children at The Pirate Store, loaned boogie boards and on and on the list goes. They came and did hands on work in organizing and getting the house ready, delivering meal ready food, cooking at the family cookout, and helping look after the children the afternoon and evening the parents were given as a special night out for themselves.

The merchants who helped with meals and activities are as follows: Amelia River Cruise, Amelia Island Museum, The Salty Pelican, Coastal Massage, Espana Restaurant, Amelia Community Theater, Tasty’s, Fantastic Fudge, P5 Productions (made each a hat with their name and a shirt), Amelia Island Carriages, Kayak Amelia, Fort Clinch State Park,The Book Loft, Amelia Island Film Festival, Boston Photography, Lulu’s Restaurant, Cafe Karibo, Journey Church, Pipeline Surf Shop, Island Falls Minature Gold, Party and Play, Beach Rentals and More, and other businesses who contributed money. Journey Church was standing by and sent weekly boxes from their food closet, filled with breakfast and snack food, especially peanut butter.

We were able to give the family money to get here from their home in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, pay for a beach front house, fed them for the week they were here, entertained them with more things than they could even do for the week, and enough cash left to fund their trip home, along with a new cooler packed with fresh Fernandina Shrimp to remember us with. But I think the memories they made here and the love they felt from our island was more than enough to take back, even if we hadn’t thrown in the shrimp. LOL, as they say on Facebook.

Editor’s Note: I am one of many who watched via Facebook as the Jones Family Dozen traveled around Fernandina Beach on their vacation adventure.  Thank you Sandra for your contribution to the Fernandina Observer,  and to all of the individuals and merchants whose contributions created many memoriable moments for a special family.