Second Kicks was proud to support Detective Constable Dovelin Hawthorne and York Reigional Police.  

Read more about this cause here:

https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/10132643-york-regional-police-officer-collects-hundreds-of-cleats-for-jamaican-soccer-players/

A member of the York Regional Police who began fundraising for cleats to donate to soccer lovers in Jamaica said the support he has received from the community has been “overwhelming.”

Detective Constable Dovelin Hawthorne, with the support of the YRP, began taking donations of soccer shoes to donate to players in Hanova, Jamaica, where Dovelin is originally from.

Hawthorne said growing up in Jamaica, he had a passion for soccer, but never had soccer shoes until he moved to Canada with his family in 1992.

His parents, who have both passed away, taught Hawthorne the importance of giving back to the community, so one day in June, he decided to do just that in their memory.

Hawthorne said he knows all too well what it’s like to play barefoot, adding that his feet would end up cut and bleeding at times.

Since he announced his fundraiser, he said the support he has received from community members and the YRP have been overwhelming, and that he had no idea he would get so many donations.

Due to the high volume of donations, Hawthorne said he will not only be donating to Hanova in Jamaica, but also to a high school in Saint Lucia in the Caribbean island.

With the help of the community and the YRP, over 3000 items were raised, including 550 soccer jerseys, over 400 pairs of soccer cleats, 440 pairs of socks, 220 shorts, 70 binders, over 75 soccer balls, over 50 shin guards, over 40 whistles, 20 cones, three nets for goals posts, and other miscellaneous items.