As great as Clayton Kershaw is on the field for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s important to recognize his efforts off the field, along with his wife Ellen, through their charity Kershaw’s Challenge.
The couple is involved in several charitable projects in Dallas, Los Angeles and Zambia, among other efforts.
Kershaw’s challenge raised $900,000 in 2014 and in July of this year held the third annual Ping Pong 4 Purpose fundraising event at Dodger Stadium.
Clayton and Ellen are now set to host their second annual benefit concert in Dallas to benefit Kershaw’s Challenge. The event, which is being held on Thursday, features country music artist Easton Corbin, with John Baumann as the opening act.
Along with hosting the benefit concert, Kershaw is also involved in a project to build a new youth academy in the Dallas area, according to Jon Weisman of Dodger Insider:
Meanwhile, Kershaw is also part of a group that includes Major League Baseball that will build the Texas Rangers MLB Urban Youth Academy in West Dallas. The new state-of-the-art facility, which will provide free (or reduced cost) and year-round opportunities for North Texas youth, will be built on a 17-acre site and include five fields and an Academy building with a full turf professional-sized infield, six batting/pitching cages, classrooms, and a weight and nutrition room.
Kershaw was recognized by Major League Baseball for his charitable efforts in 2012, as he was named the Roberto Clemente Award winner. Then in 2013, the Dodgers presented Kershaw with the Branch Rickey Award.
