Jim Horning sits in his restaurant, James’ Third Base, named after his late son, broke from loss, yet somehow still a rich man.

Horning is the founder and current board member of the James V. Horning Memorial Foundation, started in 2007. He named the non-profit organization after his son, James V. Horning, who died tragically in a car accident in October 2004. According to Horning, he started the organization as a way to keep James’ spirit alive.

Now, the JVH Memorial Foundation is growing and finding ways to bring light to people’s lives throughout the community. One of those outlets: the JVH Memorial Wrestling Invitational. Originally called the Mason Invitational, the school contacted Horning after the accident and asked to rename the tournament after his son. According to Horning, this tournament was the first step in a tough process for him.

“(James passed at) the beginning of his (senior) wrestling season,” Horning said. “He was a big wrestler — captain of the team. He didn’t get to wrestle his senior year. The school came to me and asked if they could rename the Mason Invitational after my son as a great tribute to him. The first tournament was only a few months after my son passed. That was very emotional as you can imagine and it’s still emotional sometimes when I talk.”

Fast-forward eight years and the JVH Memorial Invitational has become more than a sporting event. Current President of the JVH Memorial Foundation and James’ wrestling coach Jerry Schrock said there is an underlying message throughout the whole tournament of honoring lost loved ones.

“What we wanted to do was make sure James’ life really meant something,” Schrock said. “And we’re doing that. Through the Horning tournament, we bring awareness to a lot of issues that people are having. We raise money and help local families. This is our way of making his life still mean something, by helping others.

“All of us know what losing somebody feels like. We make this tournament a true memorial tournament. Not just a James, but if you, in your life, had somebody that you lost, we have a time when you can personally reflect on that person and what they mean to you and then also appreciate the people that are around in your life. We’re going to ask the wrestling fans and the tournament workers and the coaches and the athletes to donate to the Jessica Galley Young Life Fund. We’re going to match whatever they raise at the tournament, and we’re going to donate all that to make sure that a kid who can’t go to Young Life camp because they can’t afford it, will be able to go.

“That was important to her in her life. You can’t make sense out of somebody’s death, but hopefully you can put a silver lining on it.”

The foundation was able to raise $500 to the Jessica Galley Memorial Fund, which they then matched for a total of $1,000. Current varsity wrestling head coach Craig Murnan said that his athletes know this this Invitational is special, not only because it is the last one before the team continues to league competition, but also because of the underlying values.

“It’s a very positive and upbeat tournament,” Murnan said. “Everybody in the tournament, including the coaches and participants, realize what the tournament stands for.”

The Invitational is a testament to James’ life, and the foundation has been working on projects convey what James stood for.

“Wrestling was real important to James. Scarlet Oaks (Career Campus) was real important to James, that and helping people,” Schrock said. “James was the kind of guy that if he saw people being bullied, he would have stood up for the guys who couldn’t defend themselves. We’re trying to help the people that can’t help themselves. And that’s our mission.”

According to Horning, his son was in the resident electricity and lighting program at Scarlet Oaks. The foundation raised money to cover their travel expenses as they competed in the 2011 Skills National Competition. While competing in this national competition, the student from Scarlet Oaks earned gold (top honors) in Medical terminology and mechatronics.

Even after doing so much, the foundation is still working to do more. The JVH Memorial Foundation established what they call the Seven Pillars of James. The pillars are: compassion, determination, unselfishness, intensity, character, sportsmanship, and leadership. They are characteristics reflecting the genuine personality of James, characteristics that the foundation is working hard to instill in the athletes participating in the memorial tournament, and also youth in the community.

“If you really think about it, (the seven pillars of James) are seven pillars of a good leader,” Schrock said. “This year at Mason High School we created the Mason Leadership Council, with 18 sophomores and juniors. Right now, they’re planning a camp that will take place in June. Just like football camp, we’re going to have leadership camp for kids in grades 5-8. We’re going to spilt them up into groups, pair them will high school kids, and examine those pillars and how they apply to their lives.

“They’re going to start evaluating their own leadership style. When school starts next year, hopefully we’ve created a bunch of young leaders who can go and make their school a better place. Spread kindness; stand in the way of bullies. Say no when somebody is peer pressuring. We’re fostering leadership. Any kid will benefit from this.”

Horning said that he hopes that helping young leaders grow will pay dividends to the Mason community.

“You look at the pillars and it’s just about being a good person,” Horning said. “It’s about building kids. James wasn’t someone who had everything, but he did have these characteristics. … It’s not all about sports. Leadership is broad, and there are a lot of different things we’re going to go over each day. (The kids) can look up to (James). They won’t ever know my son as a person, but they’ll know my son as a person who had these characteristics.”

Murnan, who was assistant wrestling coach at Mason, worked with James and became very close with him. He said he could attest to James’ good character, and it makes it easy for him to convey to his athletes who James was, what he stood for, and why this invitational is such a special one. Murnan said team even awards one athlete at their end of the season banquet the JVH Memorial award. According to Murnan, it’s awarded directly by Mr. Horning, and it’s the award the kids cherish the most because they know what it stands for.

“First, Mr. Horning has always done a really good job of [supporting] our team throughout the year,” Murnan said. “He comes to meets, follows the team, knows the families, and the kids. The kids make connections and learn about James through him. Each year is different,[but] by the time they get through the end of the season, everybody knows.”

Horning said that for him, founding the JVH Memorial Foundation and watching it grow now on its own has been extremely satisfying, and also helped him with the healing process.

“Now that I’m eight years into my son’s passing, I like to give back to people who lose their children, or lose something in their lives,” Horning said. “It’s going to happen. We don’t know who it’s going to happen to, but it does happen. The biggest thing is I would like to try to be able to help them get through it when they’re ready to talk. It makes the loop close. … [My family and I have] looked 95 percent on the positive, and five percent on the negative side [after losing James]. When you first lose a child and have a tragedy like that, you’re pretty much fifty-fifty, and you can go either way, the positive or the negative side. Most people lean back into the negative side instead of living in a positive light to try and keep their [loved one’s] spirit alive. … The wrestling tournament was the start of getting me going and looking at everything in a positive light.”

On Saturday, Jan. 19, the JVH Memorial Wrestling tournament was held in not only honor of James’ memory, but also as a way to keep his principles, leadership, and spirit alive. All those at the JVH Memorial Foundation are building a legacy of compassion and community, even just with simple reminders.

According to Schrock, the police at the scene of James’ accident said that he would probably still be alive if he had his seatbelt on, and at the wrestling tournament, the foundation made sure everyone knew that.

“A few years back, one of our wrestler’s parents e-mailed me,” Schrock said. “She said, ‘I just want you to know, that my son made his friend stop their car, and he got out, based on what you guys said, because they refused to put their seatbelts on.’ “

Whether it’s helping out families in need through what the organization calls James’ Touch, inspiring future leaders, or aiding students to enable their success on a national stage, the JVH Memorial Foundation is working every day to keep James’ spirit alive and well.

“There are so many negatives in [the world] right now,” Horning said. “We want to build something that brings good back to [the community]. That’s what I think this leadership camp will do. Bring good things to Mason.”

For results from the JVH Memorial Invitational or to find out more about projects from the Foundation, see jvhmemorial.com.