Jaguars strong safety Donovin Darius has been named the October recipient of the Jacksonville
Jaguars - Morgan Stanley Community Leader Award, presented monthly during the NFL season to the Jaguars player that demonstrates exemplary community involvement.
In partnership with Morgan Stanley, a $500 donation will be made to support Darius' annual youth football and life skills camp, held each June in Jacksonville. Four players will be named monthly winners during the 2001 season. The program will conclude in December with a year-end luncheon at ALLTEL Stadium when an additional $3,000 charity donation will be made to the player selected as the 2001 Community Leader of the Year. The September honoree was quarterback Mark Brunell.
Darius has been a steady contributor to community causes since joining the Jaguars in 1998 as a first-round draft choice. This year he is attending community blood drives to support the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance and has helped raise funds for the Safe Harbor Boys Home, a Christian group home for boys ages 15-18, and Hubbard House, a shelter for battered women and their children.
In addition, Darius hosts an annual free one-day youth football camp each June to assist local children in sharpening their skills and attitudes to help them reach their full potential. He has also supported the Playbooks reading initiative and the Straight Talk live town hall teen forum, both sponsored by the Jaguars Foundation. He also periodically speaks to local students as part of Jacksonville's Communities-in-Schools program which connects community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life.
For more information, contact the Community Affairs Department at (904) 633-6582.