Scholarship fund looks to future

Johnny Leroy Dawkins, Jr’s mother and sister started a scholarship fund in his honor after he was killed in 2008. {Contributed photo}

The Johnny Leroy Dawkins, Jr, Scholarship [JLDS] was established 10 years ago. In 2008, Dawkins, 25, was killed as a result of gun violence. He was the father of son, Jayden Dawkins, 16, and daughter, Leeleean Dawkins, 12. Dawkins was a graduate of Lexington Senior High. According to his mother, Angie McDuffie, and sister, Dia Nyarko, he was loved and well-known.

See the full story by Davidson Local’s Taylor McBride

McDuffie and Nyarko launched the scholarship. The mission of JLDS is honoring the legacy of a loved one by investing in the higher education of male, graduating seniors – Black, Indigenous and People of Color, while joining the fight against gun violence. Their goal is to provide minority males the opportunity to go to college and receive higher educations. So far, there have been 29 scholarship recipients.

The group will host a fish fry this weekend to raise revenue for future scholarship recipients. It's the 11th year and officially a 501c3 exempt nonprofit organization. The group will celebrate by cooking food for a good cause. This includes:

Fish plates: $8
Includes: Fish, Baked Beans, Slaw, Roll & Dessert

(Curbside pickup and walk-up orders welcome)
**social distancing and masks requested

Location: 515 Poplar St.
Lexington, NC

For more information visit:

https://www.jldscholarshipfund.org/