by Fred Seely
Editorial Director
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ “Community Quarterback” made his living in the air but spends his time with boats today.
Don Hart, who retired from Lockheed Aircraft in 1988 and since has been a volunteer with Safe Harbor Boys Home, won the team’s award over nine others and will represent the city in the National Football League competition.
For winning the local award, the boys shelter near Blount Island received $11,000 from NFL Charities. The presentation was made Tuesday at an Adam’s Mark Hotel luncheon hosted by Jaguars co-owners Wayne and Delores Weaver.
Hart does carpentry work at the shelter, converting old boats into living space.
“If it wasn’t for him, six boys wouldn’t have a place to sleep,” said Safe Harbor’s executive director Robbie Smith. “He’s one of those volunteers who never quits. He never asks for anything. If the work isn’t finished, he’ll take it home.”
The awards, according to Delores Weaver, are “for the worker bees, the people who volunteer their time to do the work that every charity needs.”
Hart enlisted in the Navy at the outbreak of the Koran war and stayed active through Vietnam. He retired, then went to work for Lockheed, serving in various installations around the world including two years in Iran (“Worst two years of my life,” said wife Ruth.)
When he retired to his native city, he was looking for something to do.
“My son wanted a boat and went up to Safe Harbor to ask about one,” he said. “I got to talking and they recruited me to volunteer. Never quit.
“It’s fun. They have all sorts of boats that people donate, up to 70 feet long. I get to work with the kids, to help them learn.”
Hart’s name will be forwarded to the NFL and he’ll compete for the overall NFL Community Quarterback Award which will be presented at the Super Bowl.
In all, $25,000 was presented to charities on behalf of a volunteer.
The two semifinalists were Caroline Wolff, who works with the St. Gerard Campus in St. Augustine, and Nadia Lamb Mead, FreshMinistries. Each charity received $3,500.
Getting $1,000 each were Inside/Outside Inc., whose volunteer was Thomas Borland; Chets Creek Elementary School, James Boyd; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Reggie Canty; Project Special Care of St. Augustine, Denise Edwards; The Bridge of Northeast Florida, Noah Henderson; SAVE Program of the Southside Middle School, Jonathan Hiott; and Community Asthma Partnership, Dr. Sudhir Pradhu.
Judges were Cindy Hamilton of Baptist Health, Marsha Oliver of the school system, Susan Wildes, Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Holly Cleveland, Wachovia; and Nyree Brown of the Jaguars.
Also attending the program were Jaguars players David Garrard, Wali Ranier, Dan Alexander and Danny Clark.