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The late Wally Jones' longtime dedication to the sport he loved will be officially saluted next year in a special way.

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Jones, who gave countless hours to young players in the Woodstock minor hockey group, will have the association's March 3, 2009 jamboree named in his honour.

The Woodstock minor hockey group said in a recent release it wanted to do something in tribute to Jones' longtime service to young players who he mentored and aided over the decades.

Jones' sister-in-law, Anne Jones, says the honour is well-deserved .

"Wally, who passed away last year, was loved by everyone, especially the kids," she says. "He loved the children because he loved having fun (with them) as they learned more skills in the sport. Wally was very humble, too. That's was one thing we loved about him. He believed what he was doing should be for the kids. He never wanted to be singled out or recognized for what he had done."

Jones says she loved Wally's dedication, and spirit.

"Tenacious is the one word which comes to mind when I think of Wally and hockey in Woodstock," she says. "As was said (so well) by Derrick Kennedy, a young man who spent many hours playing hockey in Woodstock, if you haven't had your skated tied by Wally Jones, you haven't played hockey in Woodstock."

Jones says Wally's countless hours of service at local arenas were well appreciated by Woodstock minor hockey volunteers, parents and fans alike.

"Wally was always at the rink working diligently with the little ones, especially the two- and three-year-olds, and remained at the mite level as that was where it all began," she says. "He wanted every child to have the best chance to play the game - and more importantly, to have fun."

Jones' time at the rink wasn't just as a volunteer.

"Wally was also seen at many games as a spectator, watching his little protégés as they grew and advanced to other levels. He attended many minor hockey meetings and was later on the board when CYV (Carleton-York-Victoria) began its first season."

As for how Wally should be remembered, Jones added "I guess the following quote I would like to share (with everyone), that best describes Wally, is: One hundred years from now/It won't matter what car I drove/What kind of house I lived in/How much I had in the bank account/Or what my clothes looked like/But the world may be a little better/Because I was important in the life of a child."