He approaches with a big smile and a wave. Then the conversation begins. He gestures, watches, writes a word or two on a pad of paper he keeps in his pocket. He points down the road, and at the woman he’s with. Watching carefully, he tries to find out, ‘does this person understand?’
Winford Jones, 59, is one of Scottsville’s friendliest residents. He spends his days walking around town, smiling at friends and meeting newcomers. He is “the biggest fan” of Allen County-Scottsville High School’s football team.
Although he thrives on contact with others, Jones has had to develop his own way of “talking”. A childhood illness left him deaf and unable to speak.
Winford visits his friend Tim Creasy at Creasy’s store, C&H Men’s and Boy’s, twice a week. “He can’t really sign,” Creasy said. “He gestures. It’s his hand motions and his face that say what he thinks.”
“Most people here know his language,” Creasy said. “He doesn’t have any trouble talking – I mean communicating. He’s always cheerful. He’s a carefree, normal kind of guy.
Winford attends every football and basketball game. He’s been a part of the football program so long they’ve made him part of the team. He wears an official team staff jacket and rides the team bus to all the away games.
On the sidelines, Winford gets involved. He encourages the players and sometimes shakes an angry fist at a “mistaken” referee.
Steve Wanta, head coach for Allen County-Scottsville’s eight grade football team calls Windford “our 1 fan!”
“We all learn to communicate with Winford.”
