Herbert H. Carnegie Award: Detective Constable Dovelin Hawthorne

Growing up in Jamaica, Detective Constable Dovelin Hawthorne was always passionate about soccer. He would spend hours playing with his friends anywhere they could find a makeshift field. He played in bare feet, because he didn’t have soccer cleats.
When Detective Constable Hawthorne was 19, he immigrated to Canada with his family. However, even after moving, his parents would send money and items back to their hometown to continue supporting their community in Jamaica.
After the passing of his parents and in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Detective Constable Hawthorne was looking for a way to give back and honour their memories, rallying the community for a positive purpose.
He went to a park and had his wife film a video of him juggling a soccer ball. Then, he challenged others to do the same, with a goal of collecting soccer equipment for youth.
The initiative took off, with more than 3,000 items pouring in from the Vaughan Soccer Club, Second Kicks, the York Region Soccer Association, the Orillia District Soccer Club, the Lighthouse Tabernacle Church and dozens of community members.
The donations were sent to a boys home in Jamaica and to a community church in St. Lucia.
Detective Constable Hawthorne is being recognized for his efforts to bring community partners together to celebrate sport, help the less fortunate and score a win for a worthy cause.
He exemplifies the YRP values of compassion and fairness, having made a marked difference in our community and abroad.

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Love to see it