Clayton and Ellen Kershaw were selected as the 2026 University Park Citizens of the Year in recognition of their commitment to serving others and making a positive impact in the community and beyond.
The Los Angeles Dodgers legend and Highland Park High School alumnus and his wife have long made giving back a priority.
The couple founded Kershaw’s Challenge in 2011 after they met a nine-year-old girl in Zambia named Hope. Hope was ill and living on the streets as an orphan at the time. Ellen and Hope instantly bonded and the Kershaws made it their mission to find her a safe place to call home. Today, Kershaw’s Challenge serves vulnerable and at-risk children living in Dallas, Los Angeles, Zambia, and the Dominican Republic.
Clayton has accumulated many awards throughout his life, one being the Robert Clemente Award for his humanitarian work volunteering in his community.
While the couple wasn’t able to attend the Rotary Club of Park Cities’ annual Fourth of July Parade, they will be recognized by the city at a later date.
Clayton retired from his starting pitcher position at the end of the 2025 season, but announced in late March of this year that he will continue to serve the Los Angeles Dodgers as a special assistant.
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