Engagement Insider
DAVIE, FL January 10, 2014 – Donovin Darius made a big impact as a safety for the Jaguars, but he is now having an even bigger influence on the city of Jacksonville.
By paying it forward in the community with his growing Donovin Darius Foundation, he is employing the same determination that paid off for the team when they chose him in the 1998 first round of the draft.
That draft pick produced a stellar nine-year career, but today he says he “loves what I do now more than what I did on the field since my love for people is greater than my love for football.”
This dedication culminated just before Christmas when his foundation had its biggest event ever, drawing 400 youngsters and their parents to EverBank Field for the “Pay It Forward” Holiday Youth Camp.
“Our theme was for them to showcase their individual talents like acting or athletics, and then at the end we presented them with gift cards to write in the names of others so they could pay it forward,” said the gregarious Darius. “It showed them that their unique talents are not just for them to use, but for others to benefit from as well.”
This inventive approach is no surprise since the foundation has been raising its game each year by offering an increasing number of events, last year staging seven, up from four in 2012 following the first one ever in December 2011.
“I like holding them at EverBank Field where my dreams came true,” said Darius, “and now these kids can hopefully begin to find their dreams on this field.”
Perhaps more importantly, it’s not just the number of C.A.M.P.S. (Character Action Motivation Purpose), it’s the creative themes that each one features.
In addition to the Pay It Forward theme, other 2013 topics with increasing attendance at each included Next Level Living, Mothers Day Life Camp for moms & kids, Dare to Dream for girls only, Breath of Life Asthma Camp, and Military Families Spend Thanksgiving Week Camp.
“Typically, our events run about four hours where we will begin by entering the stadium and provide T-shirts and take photos,” Darius detailed, “and then we will conduct age-appropriate classroom-type breakout sessions upstairs before moving back to the field for competition, contests, and drills.”
The Camden, NJ native noted that his camps address the educational, mental, physical, spiritual and emotional areas of the participants, who come from the five counties that make up the Greater Jacksonville area.
But serving so many is not something that Darius does alone.
“I work with approximately 30 spectacular sponsors from the Jacksonville area to create my camps, and they don’t make me feel like I am asking for anything since this is what they do as part of their passion,” he said, acknowledging their volunteers spirit.
Nonetheless, it’s Darius’ drive that fuels the effort, dating back to draft day.
“I was in the car when the Jags called, and although my family and friends in the house were all excited, the first thought I heard in my mind was responsibility,” stated the Syracuse 1997 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. “With my new NFL platform, I started my first camp in my second year, where I solicited the support of local organizations to hold a free clinic for high school football players, where about 20 teammates attended.”
This was just a harbinger of his inspirational path ahead, where today in addition to being Executive Director of his foundation, he also works with the NFL Player Engagement Department as both the Southeast Regional Director of the new NFL Legends Program and also as a Transition Life Coach.
And as if that is not enough, he spearheads a Next-Level Training & Performance effort that partners with youth organizations, while also enjoying fatherhood.
And where did the pay it forward approach originate?
“When I was nine years old, my mother was sick so I went to my Pastor and asked him to pray that I could help her,” recalled Darius, adding, “which he did and after it all worked out, I realized that helping others helped me.”