The 2018 Appointees to the Order of Ontario was released on February 27, 2020 11:00 A.M. through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism Industries. 

The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, announced 21 new appointments to the Order of Ontario, the province's highest honour. The one that caught my eye was Charles "Spider" Jones of Pickering, Ontario. Spider as I knew him years ago at Scarboro Television back in the 80’s and early 90’s, had a most disadvantaged background as  young boy.  He grew up in  Windsor, Ontario were  Charles Jones completed the most improbable journey.  From a convict on the  streets of Windsor in his formative years, to his receiving the Order of Ontario at Queen's Park on Wednesday March the 11th.

The Order of Ontario is the province’s highest honour and recognizes outstanding individual contributions and achievements benefitting others.

Jones was honoured for his three decades of work with disadvantaged youth in Toronto’s core. “It’s a real honour,” said the 77-year-old Jones, who with his wife Jackie Robinson founded their youth advocacy organization Believe To Achieve.

Mr. Jones, who graduated from Radio & Television Broadcasting in 1982 at Seneca College, is a Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame member, journalist, author and three-time Golden Glove Champion. He has dedicated his life to improving impoverished youth by sharing his life experiences. Through his Believe to Achieve non-profit organization, called Spider’s Web Youth Empowerment Centre he supports kids in after-school personal development and mentorship programs for the past 18 years.

He’s been talking to youths most of his life. Spider and Jackie have  been doing it for more than 30 years, so it’s part of their life. Actually Spider and Jackie just celebrated their wedding anniversary Wednesday, 45 wonderful years together. Jackie has been very instrumental in encouraging her husband and working closely with him at the Centre and the Believe to Achieve organization.

I went to jail, but jail doesn’t have to be the end of your journey he tells his young people as he relates to them that they don’t have to settle for a life of living in the streets and being a criminal to survive, Spider relates.

At the heart of the Jones’s efforts is Spider’s Web Youth Empowerment Centre in a large apartment complex at the intersection of Jane Street and Wilson Avenue in Toronto. That is where his afterschool program lives. He teaches these kids that you can have a dream and succeed in life if you make the effort to try and keep yourself accountable.

When I met Spider in the early 80's at the Studio where I worked, I knew he was going to do something so beautiful not just for his own life, but for others. I would walk from the studio to my office which was right beside the lounge, and Spider and the sports department would be having a serious meeting in the lounge, and as the lounge started to fill up with more of the crew from the sports shows and the news department…everyone would be in their glory, Spider holding court and the young people were mesmerized by his stories of Mohammad Ali, and George Chuvalo.  He was a good talker!

He wasn’t just name dropping, he was relating true stories of were he was involved in shadow boxing, warming the fighters up or having nice meaningful conversations with them…the young man that ended up in prison who when he came out of jail, to meet the his hero's.

The  77 year old Spider Jones was dressed in a tuxedo, looking handsome as ever and full of modesty yet pride when the Lieutenant Governor  bestow the honour upon the newest appointees during an investiture ceremony at Queen's Park on March 11, 2020. Jones was shocked and surprised by the honour. He never expected anything like this to happen to him.  But he is humbled and grateful, and it goes to show you that you can be the kid from the other side of the tracks, and achieve your dreams and even be acknowledged for it.

The Order of Ontario goes back to 1986 and since that date has bestowed the award to 706 Ontario individuals.

“We can give them (the Youth) the mindset and discipline to not get sucked into the street life.” says Spider Jones a longtime broadcaster.

The issues of racism, poverty and bullying, remain troublesome for kids.  “It’s more challenging for kids today because of the gangs in Toronto,” said Jones, who lives in Pickering.

“I think I’ve been successful with them because I have street credit.  I went to jail, but jail doesn’t have to be the end of your journey.”

“Ali talked a lot to me, encouraged me to follow my dream to be on radio,” Jones said. “We became friends. Muhammad Ali and George Chuvalo helped turn me in the right direction.” Jones was set on the straight and narrow path and he and his wife Jackie Robinson are paying it forward. These folks are so sincere and grateful. And with grateful hearts becomes hearts that are able to steer young people in the right direction.

Jones lived on and off in Windsor-Detroit until 1967. He still visits the area four or five times a year to visit his four siblings and their families.

Jones admits he finds it unbelievable the kid that got kicked out of Prince Edward Elementary three times and dropped out of Lowe Tech at 15 has gone on to rub shoulders with celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Jackson, LL Cool J, Bill Clinton and Ron Howard.

Spider and Jackie are very dedicated to the future of the youth that comes to the Centre. They were very excited when Greenwin Property Management a long time sponsor of the project gave them a very large cheque to redecorate and rebuild the children’s Centre. There are many children who attend who have special needs and education requirements. Children start at 6-7 years of age at the after school program and when they arrive, they first do their homework. There is also food prepared for the children who need food, good nutritious meals are available and prepared by staff for the kid.

Spider is still very busy for his age, he oversees and works with a Board of Directors of the Centre. A number of days per week, he attends and spends time with the children. The Children are from all ethnic backgrounds. It is all inclusive, Black, Caucasian, Latino, Asian, various languages, and religious backgrounds attend the Centre. Racism is still an issue, but they are teaching the young people about racism and how to overcome these issues. When the kids are reached at a young age it is so much easier to stop prejudices, hatreds and issues that we all need to learn about.

Life wasn’t always easy for Spider in his formative years, but with the help of older role models, he was influenced to make good decisions that would affect the rest of his life. He had a Who’s Who of well known individuals to shape and mold his life. He has nothing but admiration for those who gave so freely to him when he was a young person. 

Jones took up boxing at the age of fourteen, dropped out of school at 15.  To achieve his goal of becoming a broadcaster on radio, he went back to school as an adult. And in 1982 he graduated from Seneca College.

Over the years he has been the guest speaker at many fund raisers for his youth charity, he is usually introduced as Mr. Charles ‘Spider’ Jones, fine and respected Canadian journalist, author, and former amateur boxer,former three-time Golden Glove Champion and was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996. Jones was once voted "Boxing Commentator and M.C. of the Year" by the Board of Governors of the World Boxing Federation!  Well done Spider!

When Spider and I spoke earlier this week, we talked about his youth. “Windsor shaped me, but there was no opportunity for me there,” Jones said, “Here I learned the mindset that makes you feel inferior is what keeps you down. Working hard and the proper mindset is the difference between success and failure.”

Spider mentioned Dave Gross who now resides and works in Ottawa, who was already a young sports celebrity at Scarboro Television. Dave and Spider were class mates at Seneca College. Through his friendship with Dave, he would drop by and visit Dave and  Kevin Quinn (who's now working out west,)  and his buddies in the sports and news department. 

I always liked it when Spider would visit with the guys at the  705 Progress Ave. Studio's, in Scarborough. Spider usually had them mesmerized.  Spider was a few years older than the crew at the studio. He was a great speaker then already, and he always spoke with great passion from the heart. No wonder the Fan590 and CFRB ended up with such an excellent boxing announcer and sportscaster. They were the good old days. We are looking back now 35 or so years; walk down memory lane. 

My meeting with Spider was a lovely treat for me. It reminded me of my younger years, half a lifetime ago, and listening to the lively conversation coming out of the lounge. No bragging, just telling it like it was... but also dropping a name or two. The funny thing is, now they are the ones who’s names the others are dropping. It looks good on you Spider, you are a most deserving gentleman indeed.  For those who are interested in Spider's  journey, check out his Website: SpiderJones.com .

Spider had a dream!  It wasn't all talk.  There was ACTION!  Charles Jones, would get your attention, and he would talk until you understood what he and his Believe to Achieve organization was about.  The way the children at his afterschool program are shaped and taught is phenomenal.   Many people are involved in teaching the children, Spider is so proud of the work that is being done for the kids.  It's all for the kids!

 Other Awards to Charles Spider Jones

· Order of Ontario for his 3 decades   of service to the Youth in Toronto

· Premier Award from the Prov. of Ont., for outstanding achievements & contributions to
 the community. 

· World Boxing Federation Ring Announcer of the Year, 

· The Edward R. Murrow Award for Broadcaster, 

· The Canadian Crime Victim Award, Seneca College Distinguished Alumni Award, 

· B'Nai B'rith Award for Community Service, 

· Bob Marley Award for Education, 

· Dan McArthur Award for in-depth   investigative reporting on guns, gangs and crime

 

Bravo, and Congratulations to Spider and Jackie, I hope to see you both in the near future.

With wonderful reflections,