Ambulance Corps Member Receives John R. Rinaldi Special Recognition Award

On April 17, 2008, the 200 Club of Bergen County held its annual valor awards luncheon at the Glenpointe Marriott in Teaneck.  This event honors police, fire fighters and emergency medical volunteers who have performed outstanding service to their communities.  Griff Jones, Jr., of the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corps was awarded the John R. Rinaldi Special Recognition Award.

Griff's history with the Ambulance Corps started in 1985 when he was 16 years old and a member of its Youth Squad.  He graduated into the Senior Squad and held the position of Lieutenant and Captain, but that is only the beginning of his story.  His involvement inspired his father, Griff Senior and his sister, Naomi, to follow in his footsteps and become members. 

During this time, he also met Rosemarie Jones, who along with her two sisters, Christine and Julie, and their mother Rosemary had joined the GRVAC.  Rosemary is a nurse at Valley Hospital and Julie and Rosemarie were then nursing students who graduated and have gone on to have successful careers.  With a deep-seated love of caring for others, Griff decided to change careers and returned to school to become a nurse, graduating in 2007.  Today he works at Hackensack University Medical Center in their Surgical Intensive Care Unit, a position quite unusual for someone just out of nursing school.

Griff Jr. and his father and Rosemarie and her two sisters have remained active members of the Glen Rock Ambulance Corps, all becoming Life Members, as well as their mom, who has since retired.  Griff's award is really a tribute to a family that has made a commitment to helping others through dedicated volunteerism.