JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Clara White Mission teamed up Saturday with the father of Jordan Davis, a 17-year-old who was shot and killed 10 years ago outside a Southside gas station.
Together, they made sure Thanksgiving came a few days early for those in need.
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“Sometimes justice finds its way into your heart by giving to other people. Justice sometimes is what makes you feel good, and this is what makes me feel good,” said Ron Davis.
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Wednesday will mark a decade since Ron Davis’ son, Jordan, was killed in a shooting that garnered national attention in the following years.
“I just want to make sure this is uncut, that we thank Jacksonville for all they’ve done for our family,” Ron Davis said Saturday during the Thanksgiving dinner at Clara White Mission, which honored not only Davis’ son, but also the memory of the mission’s longtime chef, Keith Smith, who died from COVID-19 last year.
Clara White Mission Kitchen Manager Byron Bell said Smith’s lessons went beyond the kitchen.
“He had this one saying, ‘If you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all. And if you do it right, do it with heart, and you always get it right,’” Bell said.
Smith’s niece said she misses everything about her uncle -- from Jaguars Sundays together, to his gentle, giving spirit.
“He’s not forgotten,” Keta Smith said, fighting tears. “People still remember all the good stuff he did. I don’t know, he was just an amazing person.”
An amazing person who would be proud of Saturday’s impact for those in need.
