BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — When people talk about Bills players who are involved with the community, one name tends to come up quite often: the “Shnowman” himself.
Offensive tackle Dion Dawkins was looking to find his “thing.”
“Jim Kelly has the golf outing. I think Josh has a golf outing,” Dawkins said. “You know, like the greats — they all have something, and I figured, who doesn’t like cars?”
That thought led him to create the Dion Dawkins Car Shnow, a free event for everyone to enjoy. Dawkins makes many appearances in the community through his Dion’s Dreamers Foundation, which has the goal of providing people with mentorship and support.
“Yeah, I support everybody. Simple as that, bro. I really support everybody, and every year it changes,” he said. “I wish I could sit here and I could say, you know, I just focus on underprivileged kids or kids that don’t have this or teams that don’t have this, but every year it changes. It goes from food hygiene products for women to clothing to everything from scholarships, music lessons, art, playing an instrument.”
Dawkins said his commitment to Western New York is a two-way street.
“I’m just giving back to them everything that they’re giving me and some,” he said. “I love the community.”
He spoke about his future in football and where he sees himself down the line, even after retirement.
“I’m not leaving Buffalo,” Dawkins said. “My foundation will live in Buffalo ’til I die, and so Buffalo has created me. It’s birthed me. It’s made me who I am and I will forever give my heart, my soul to this community, and that’s a promise. I will, regardless of what happens in my career. I will be a part of this community forever.”
Scott Patterson is a co-anchor on News 4 Wake Up! He joined the News 4 team in 2024. See more of his work here.